Who Am I?
by mikopriestessmayumi
Summary: "Who you are is not defined by what people say or think but rather by your own actions and their impact on the world." A Mer-fic based on Danny's desire for identity. All anyone wants is a purpose. Will Danny be able to find his role in life? Rated T, Pairing: Eventual DxS. Enjoy :3
1. Chapter 1

~Prologue~

_"We can spend our lives letting the world tell us who we are. Sane or insane. Saints or sex addicts. Heroes or victims. Letting history tell us how good or bad we are. Letting our past decide our future. Or we can decide for ourselves. And maybe its our job to invent something better." _~Chuck Palahniuk

Why do people waste their effort on trying to become something they're not? Is it because we're afraid of the judgment of others? Or is it our desire to fit in to the "status quo" of today's society? Whatever the reason, the need to be in the "in crowd" is a commonality that bonds people together, despite their differences. However, these same forces also have the power to rip us apart. Sometimes in our quest for identity and a place where we truly belong, we lose what matters most along the way-who we really are. Because of this, many people will hide amongst others in fear. If we allow others to dictate our own purposes in life, we may as well sit alongside the sidelines and do nothing at all. We must stand up on our own and make our own decisions.

Who am I? What should I be doing right here, right now? What is my true purpose in this vast world? No one can answer these questions but you.

_"Who you are is not defined by what people say or think, but rather by your own actions and their impact on the world." ~mikopriestessmayumi_

_"Who Am I?"_

**A Danny Phantom fan-fiction by mikopriestessmayumi/KokuyokuLoverForever**

**~Genre: Fantasy/Science-Fiction; A Search for Identity; Angst/Romance; AU**

**~Pairings: Eventual Danny x Sam**

_Chapter 1_

I have always enjoyed watching the sunset on the horizon of the sparkling ocean. Ever since I was little, I would always spend the last few hours of every day gazing at the sun's last rays reflecting off of the undulating ocean waves. I never grew bored from watching the same scene day after day. I was grateful for being blessed with the opportunity to see such a magnificent sight at the end of every day.

I've always known that I had a connection to the water, but that wasn't because I always watched the sunset on the ocean. I lived on the beach and hardly ever left. There were quite a few times when I would succumb to my fascination of the ocean and just look out to the sea for hours on end.

As dusk finally settled in, I slowly rose to my feet. Because my feet had partially been in the ocean, my red tennis shoes were now waterlogged. I carefully pulled them off, took off my socks, and allowed my feet to bury themselves into the soft, golden sand. As I walked across the beach, my feet swiftly moved over the ground as if it wasn't there. I continued walking until I reached a small cove. The cove was shaded by a rigid, limestone structure that shielded everything inside of it from the sun. A small stream that was just wide enough for me to fit in when I bathed concentrated in a little pool near the back of the cove. The narrower end of the stream flowed smoothly into the calm ocean.

I reached into a small hole in the cove and pulled out a black blanket. Although my blanket was old and torn slightly, it always kept me warm on the coldest nights. I tossed it onto a mattress that I made myself out of leaves and seaweed dredged from the ocean.

Before going to bed, I felt my chest for a small necklace I always made sure that I had with me at all times. It was a small, square-shaped, golden locket. A tiny clip on the side of it allowed for me to open it and see a tiny picture inside of it. A young woman with short, brown hair and purple eyes and a man with long, black hair and blue eyes were both in the picture. The man was holding what appeared to be a gold pitchfork in one hand while the other hand was resting on the woman's shoulder. In the woman's arms was a tiny baby. The baby's looks were very peculiar. He had snow, white hair and eerie, green eyes that appeared to glow.

On the opposite side of the picture, there was a name inscribed on the locket:

"Danny Fenton"

I wasn't entirely sure what the picture meant or why I had it, but I gradually accepted that my name was Danny, and that I was somehow related to the two adults in the worn-out photo. Like the child, I, too, had white hair and green eyes. Because of this fact, I knew that the baby had to be me when I was younger.

For nearly eighteen years, I spent most of my life trying to figure out my place in the world. It all started when I left my cove for the very first time.

**~Flashback~**

"Today's the day," I said to myself.

"I'm not going to be afraid anymore. I need to see what's out there. I have to know what's out there!"

**~Flashback pause~**

I was around fourteen years old at the time when I left the safety and vicinity of my ocean. As sand became grass, a set of wooden steps went up to a boardwalk. Hesitantly, I climbed up the stairs and walked across the boardwalk. I continued walking until I came to an open area with many trees and young children running around happily. While lost in thought, I felt something hit my leg. It appeared to be a spherical object with black and white diamond patches on it. When I picked it up, I saw a small child run up to me.

**~Flashback continued~**

A child dressed in a red shirt and white shorts stopped as he approached me. Out of breath, he wiped some sweat off of his forehead before speaking to me.

"Um, can I have my ball back, please?" the young boy asked.

I smiled and handed the ball back to him. In turn, the boy took the ball from me and smiled back at me.

"Thanks!"

I nodded, but didn't say anything in return. I didn't know how to reply because I couldn't speak English that well at the time.

"Wow, are those real?" He asked.

I saw him point to my forest-green fin ears and light green fins on my arms. I looked at him and nodded again.

"That's so cool!"

I smiled and blushed slightly at the compliment.

"What's your name?" the boy asked. "Mine is Ben. I'm eight."

Ben looked up at me as he waited for me to respond. I was about to say something when an older woman with blonde hair came up to us.

"And just what is going on here?" She asked.

"I was just getting my ball, mom," replied Ben. "This nice kid was helping me, that's all."

Ben's mother took one look at me and scowled.

"Let's go, Ben. NOW."

"But, mom, I-"

"Stay away from my son, you freak!" She yelled as she pulled Ben by the arm to her side.

"Mom, please! Let go!" Ben pleaded.

Without another word, Ben's mother took Ben away, and neither of them looked back. Lonely and hurt, I ran back to the beach and into the safety of my cove. I curled up on my bed and cried until I could taste the saltiness of my own tears.

**~Flashback end~**

Ever since that day, I avoided all contact with humans entirely. I lived alone on my beach in complete solitude. The only interactions I made were secretly going to the human schools in order to learn more about the world. I would sit in the very back of the room completely unnoticed by the teacher and the rest of the students. This was all because of these special powers I possessed. I could turn invisible, pass through solid objects, and fire green energy-beams from my hands. Though I never attacked anyone, I used my intangibility to infiltrate the school. From there, I would sit invisibly in an unused desk and listen as the teacher taught the class.

Surprisingly, I discovered that I was a quick learner. In a matter of a few years, I became fluent in English. It wasn't exactly useful to me at first because I never spoke to humans. However, because I could now speak it, I was able to understand what they were saying to each other. Although I'll admit- Sometimes, I didn't even want to know what they were saying. Half the time, it was just cruel insults and sexual innuendos.

Despite all these obstacles, I was determined to find my place and my purpose in this world.

**Well I hope you liked my brief chapter and entry into my new DP fanfic. I already have the first 4 chapters written, so if enough people like the idea of a Mer-DannyxSam fanfic, then I'll post the rest. Please R&R! :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you to those who have already reviewed my story. I'll post up the rest of the fan-fiction as soon as it's written. In the meantime, here's chapter 2. I realize that chapter 1 was a little slow, but I needed to set up the plot early. In this chapter, things will pick up. Enjoy : 3**

_"Who Am I?"_

Chapter 2

I woke up early the following morning just as the first signs of dawn were approaching. The once pitch-black sky soon lit up with rays of red, orange, and yellow. I could hear the cries of the seagulls as they landed on the beach to search and scavenge for scraps of food. After gathering what they could find, the birds flew out to the ocean. I looked at the beach and saw that one tiny seagull remained. The bird looked up at me with sad, begging, blue-eyes before waddling up to me. I was sitting near the outer part of my cove as the poor creature came up to me with its beak opened. I smiled and fed it some of my morning breakfast- fresh fruit wrapped in seaweed. A small patch of red berries annually grew on the opposite side of the beach in a small, grassy area. On occasion, I would pick the berries and eat them, as I did now. The baby seagull seemed to smile at me after I fed it. I gently patted it on its soft, white head. After I stopped, the bird opened its wings and flew out to sea. I watched until I saw it catch up with the rest of the flock.

I realized that the bird and I had a lot in common with one another. We both were small in a vast world that was far greater than either of us. The bird, however, knew what its purpose was. That was evident as it flew out to sea to unite with its brothers and sisters. But what about me? What was my purpose? Where did I belong in this vast world? These questions always ran through my head every second of every day. That never changed.

I decided that I would not go to the school today. I just wanted to sit and look out at the ocean. The weather was absolutely beautiful. The sun was out, and a gentle breeze was blowing. A few clouds were scattered overhead, but there was no sign of rain. I smiled, content with the view, as I sat on my rock overlooking the ocean. Seagulls gathered around my feet in hopes for food, but I shoed them away. Silence soon fell over the ocean.

And that's when it happened. While enjoying the tranquility of the ocean, my fin-ears began to twitch. I could hear low-humming sounds somewhere in the distance. I looked in the direction of the disturbance and saw what appeared to be a small, white speedboat. Three, maybe four humans, all male, were on board. I quickly hid in the shadows of my cove before any of them could spot me. My heart must have been going at a million miles per second.

"Why are they here?" I whispered to myself.

"No humans ever come near this beach. So why are all these humans here now?"

I peered out at the boat from the bumpy, gray wall of the cove. The human driving the boat had short, blond hair and black sunglasses on. He had a white towel around his neck and a pair of red shorts on. As the boat came closer, I saw that there were indeed only three humans. However, only two of them were male. Aside from the driver, the male that was with him had black hair and black eyes. He also had a towel around his neck and blue shorts on. The third human with them was female. She had medium-length, black hair pulled back with a green ponytail. Her eyes and lips were the color of amethyst. Her swimsuit, which covered everything but her arms, legs, and midsection, was black as her hair. Unlike the two guys with her, she had her arms crossed as she angrily glared at them.

"This isn't funny anymore!" I heard her yell.

Both boys looked at her, then looked back at each other and laughed.

"I'm serious! Look, you guys both had your fun, so just let me off this damn boat already!"

"Maybe we should let her go, Dash. I think we pissed her off enough today." The black-haired boy said.

The blond, who I presumed to be Dash, turned around with one hand on the wheel.

"Yeah, I guess you're right Kwan," agreed Dash.

"Will let you go, all right Sammy?"

The girl he called Sammy looked like a bomb ready to blow.

"Don't call me Sammy, you goddamn asshole! With all the shit you put me through today, I'm not in the mood for you fucking bull shit!"

Dash and Kwan snickered, and Dash, in a laughing fit, accidentally let go of the wheel.

Big mistake.

In a split second, the entire boat began to drift at an unsafe speed near a rocky, shallow area off the beach.

"Hey dumbass! Grab the wheel!" yelled Kwan.

"I got it, I got it, ya baby. Chill out." Dash replied.

Dash grabbed the steering wheel once more and started to turn it in order to avoid the hazardous rock pile in time. In his hurry, Dash steered the wheel in a jerked motion, which caused the boat to do an almost full revolution. "Sammy", or whatever the girl's name really was, could not hold on to the boat. Within second, she was flung overboard and flew at least ten feet before plummeting into the water.

"Way to go, idiot." Kwan muttered.

"What?" Dash asked innocently.

I anxiously looked out to sea and hoped that the girl was all right. Angrily, I glared at the two boys still on board their boat.

"Let's get the hell out of here before anyone sees us." Kwan said in a hushed tone.

"Good idea. And we'll never speak of this to anyone?"

"Agreed."

"Not if I have anything to say about it…" I hissed.

I rose up my hands, and the water around their boat began to revolve around it like a whirlpool. In no time at all, their boat began spinning at a very high velocity.

"Dash, what's going on?" Kwan shouted.

In a desperate attempt to stop the motion of the boat, Dash tried to steer it, but to no avail. I willed the water to stop suddenly, which caused the boat to stop on a dime. Both Dash and Kwan flung off the boat and into the open water.

I forced myself to ignore them for a minute so that I could see if the girl was able to make it to the surface. When I saw that she hadn't, I began to worry. I pulled off both my long-sleeved black shirt and red and white shirt, kicked off my tennis shoes, and dived in. The salinity of the ocean didn't seem to faze me as I swam deeper and deeper. My eyes were able to stay open the entire time, and they never once began to sting. As I approached the bottom, I saw the girl, unconscious, floating. I reached out and pulled her close to me. There was no time to waste. As soon as I had her secure in my arms, I kicked my legs to propel us to the surface. Once there, I swam with the girl through the narrow opening of the cove. I was easily able to lift the girl's body on land, but I was worried that she wouldn't make it. Her arms and legs were scraped and covered in limpid bruises. Her lips were a dark purple and her chest was bloated-a sure sign that her lungs were filled with water. I pulled her head back gently and opened her mouth. Then I moved my hand over her mouth to draw the water from her body. The water began flowing out of her mouth and into the ocean. When she began to cough, I sighed with relief. She was going to be okay.

During the night I, despite my wariness of humans, stayed close to the girl's body. Even after I covered her with my blanket, she was still very cold to the touch. Her skin was like ice. I pulled her into my chest and rubbed her arms in a desperate attempt to get her body temperature up. Shortly after sunrise, she began to groan.

"Mmmm...ugh…"

I backed up in order to give her some space. She slowly opened her eyes and sat up.

"Ugh…what hit me?"

Out of instinct, I hid in the shadows of the cove. The girl looked around, but she never saw me.

"I guess those two idiots abandoned me here after all. That's just great." She muttered.

She tried to stand, but her weak legs could not support her. Her legs began to wobble, and finally, she collapsed. Out of breath, she coughed and moaned in pain.

"Ow…"

Worried, I decided to risk her seeing me so that I could help. I hesitantly came out of hiding and into plain sight.

"A-Are y-you okay?" I asked quietly.

Startled by my own voice resonating in the cove as well as the anticipation of her reaction, I backed up slightly. The girl tilted her head in my direction.

"W-who are you?" She questioned.

I forced my body to go back out in the open

"H-Hello…" I whispered.

~Sam's POV~

"Hello." Was all the boy said.

To say that I was surprised to see him would be an understatement. He had silver hair and bright, green eyes that appeared to glow. He was wearing nothing but an old pair of navy jeans. What really stood out to me were his fins. On either arm, the boy had scaly, green fins jutting out of his skin. Instead of regular human ears, he had fin ears that reminded me of webbed feet.

"H-Hi yourself…" I replied.

The strange boy came closer and picked up a couple of articles of clothing. The first was a long-sleeved black shirt. As he pulled it on, I noticed that there were cuts in the sleeves for his arm fins. The other shirt was short-sleeved and red and white in color.

"So…y-you saved me?" I asked quietly.

The boy nodded, but didn't say anything in return.

"T-Thank you…um…"

"Danny."

"Huh?" I asked as I looked up to him.

"My name is Danny." the boy replied.

"Well, Danny, thank you very much for rescuing me. I am really grateful for your help."

Danny nodded once more and smiled slightly.

"M-My name is Sam," I said. "Sam Manson, but you can just call me Sam."

"Okay I will," Danny replied. "B-but are you okay?"

"I'm a little sore, but other than that, I'm fine. I don't think I can get up and walk, though."

Danny looked at me with concern.

"All right…Well, in the meantime, you're welcome to stay here until you get better."

I smiled.

"Thank you." I said.

Danny came over to me and knelt down.

"Go ahead and lay down. I'll cover you with the blanket and start a fire. Hopefully, that'll warm you up."

Gently, Danny pulled the black blanket over me and tucked me in.

"I'll be right back, Sam. I'm going to go collect some driftwood for the fire."

I nodded.

"O-Okay…S-See you soon."

Danny got back to his feet and left the cove. Even after he was gone, I couldn't get the strange, yet unique image of his face out of my head. I knew in my heart that there was something special about Danny. I sure hadn't met anyone else like him before in my life.

**Yay for a little DxS fluff! And there's more of that in the next chapter ^w^. I hope that you found this chapter a little more interesting than the first. :3 **


	3. Chapter 3

_"Who Am I?"_

Chapter 3

*Danny's POV*

As I left the cove that night, I couldn't believe what I had done. The thing I feared most, a human, was now in my care. Unlike what I had anticipated, she hadn't freaked out when she saw me. In fact, she seemed quite calm.

"Sam is different from the others," I whispered quietly to myself. "Perhaps I should learn more about her."

I quickly grabbed all the driftwood I could find scattered on the sandy beach. The sun was nearly set, and it was starting to get dark fast. Not too much later, I arrived back at the cove with the driftwood in my arms.

"Danny…?" I heard Sam whisper.

"Don't be alarmed, it's me," I reassured. "It's nearly nightfall, so visibility will be severely limited. As soon as I start a fire, you'll warm up and be able to see better."

"O-Okay…"

I carefully arranged the driftwood in a neat pile on the sand outside the cove. Using my ghost energy, I created a small spark. It took a second, but a bright fire soon appeared.

"Woah…" I heard Sam say in awe.

She got up with the blanket still wrapped around her body and sat down close to the fire.

"Feeling warmer?" I asked as I slowly backed away to the opposite side of the fire.

"Y-Yeah, I am," Sam replied with a nod. "But why did you back away from me?"

Sam had a hurt expression plastered all over her face. I felt terrible because it was the same expression I had when humans rejected me all those years ago. And now as I saw it on Sam's face, I felt awful. The guilt was like a knife slowly being shoved into the middle of my heart.

"S-Sorry," I stuttered. "I-I'm just scared…"

"Of me?"

I nodded and put my head down in shame. My bangs covered my eyes, so Sam couldn't see my face.

"I understand, Danny, but there's no need to be afraid. I won't hurt you. With the condition I'm in right now, I'm in no shape to cause you any harm."

I raised my head up slowly until her violet eyes met my green eyes, but I didn't reply.

"I'm grateful for all that you've done for me. You saved my life. If you hadn't rescued me, I wouldn't be alive right now. So Danny, thank you."

I blushed and smiled at her words. It was the first time anyone had said anything nice to me.

"Y-You're welcome," I responded quietly. "B-But if you don't mind me asking, what was the situation among you, Dash, and Kwan earlier?"

"So, you knew them, too?" Sam asked.

I shook my head.

"No, but I heard them call each other those names. I also heard them call you Sammy."

Suddenly, Sam became very tense and flustered.

"NO ONE CALLS ME SAMMY!"

I held up my hands in defense and backed up a little more.

"Okay Okay, I won't call you that." I said softly.

Sam took a deep breath and calmed down. Using her hand, she brushed the hair out of her face and wiped the sweat off of her forehead.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to blow up at you," Sam apologized. "Dash and Kwan are two idiots that unfortunately attend the same school as me. Both of them call me "Sammy" just to get on my nerves."

"I-It's okay, but if those two bother you so much, then why were you on their boat?" I asked.

Sam sighed.

"Dash thought it would be funny to forcefully drag me on his boat," She explained. "So he had Kwan hold me down on the deck while Dash drove the boat into the open sea. By the time Kwan let me go, we were already too far away from the shore."

"What jerks…" I commented.

Sam nodded her head in agreement.

"Yeah, and they kept me trapped on the boat until Dash made a stupid move, which caused me to fling off the boat."

"Well, you're safe now. Those too won't bother you anymore."

I internally grinned as I recalled what I did to their boat just a few hours ago. Sam looked at me and smiled.

"Thanks, Danny. You're the nicest, sweetest guy I've ever met." Sam replied.

"R-Really? W-Wow…"

"Wow what?"

"N-No one has ever said anything so kind to me before." I admitted sheepishly.

"No one accepts you, am I right?" asked Sam.

I nodded.

"I know that feeling," She said quietly. "At school, people treat me like an outcast because of my individuality. I don't know many people who actually like me."

"You don't?"

Sam shook her head.

"No, I don't have any friends at all. At home I'm alone all of the time. My parents died in a plane accident on their way back home from a business trip. For a while, I lived alone with my grandma, but eventually she died from old age. I had no other relatives or friends willing to take me in, so I was forced to stay at our old house by myself."

Sam had started crying as she finished explaining her tragic background. Hesitantly, I got up, walked over to her, and sat down. I put one hand on her shoulder consolingly. As soon as I touched her, Sam looked up at me with watery eyes.

"D-Danny?"

"I'm so sorry, Sam," I said. "And I understand the pain you must feel. I've been alone my entire life with no one but the ocean to talk to."

"You don't have anyone else out here with you?"

I shook my head.

"No. I stay away from all humans and their world. A few years ago, I had contact with a human child. I had thought that we could be friends, but then his mom came, called me a freak, and took the child with her."

Sam gave me a hug. Shocked at her action, my eyes widened, and my body became tense.

"You're not a freak, Danny. I'm sorry that someone would say that to you. That isn't right. No one should be spoken to like that."

I gradually loosened up to Sam's touch, and I put my arms around her as well. Sam's arms around me made me feel safe, secure, and for once in my life, accepted.

"Is that why you're out here by yourself?" she asked.

I nodded.

"All I want is to discover who I really am. I want to know why I'm here and where I belong."

Sam smiled.

"And I can help you. I have nothing better to do anyway."

"But what about school?" I asked.

"School just got out for summer break. We don't go back until September."

"That explains why I haven't seen anyone at the school." I replied.

Sam looked up at me in confusion.

"Wait, you've been to the school?" I thought you didn't go near humans at all."

"I only went to the school to learn. I thought maybe I could discover my purpose if I acquired some knowledge of the world." I explained.

"Is that how you learned English?"

I nodded.

"Wow, that's really impressive. How long have you been going there?" Sam asked.

"Only for a few years. I'm a fast learner."

"I can see that," Sam remarked with a smile. "If you don't mind me asking, how old are you?"

I pulled out the necklace with the locket attached. I flipped it over, which revealed the numbers: 6-10-94.

"June 10th, 1994?" Is that your birth date?"

"I think so," I replied. "I'm not entirely sure, but I've had this locket my entire life. I'm certain that the date carved here is important in some way."

Sam took one last glance at the numbers.

"Well, if that date corresponds to your birthday, then you would be seventeen years old right now. Judging from your appearance, I'd say that's about right. And if I'm not mistaken, June 10th is next week. That means you'll be eighteen soon."

Sam flipped the locket open and looked at the picture inside."

"I-Is this you?" She asked.

"The little baby? Yup, that's me."

"And these two other people…Hey, wait a minute, I think I've seen this guy before or at least someone similar…" Sam said as she looked at the older man in the photo.

"You're kidding. Are you sure?"

"I'm not entirely sure, but I can easily find out. I have this book back at home that has a similar picture inside of it. I'm feeling a little better, so I'm going to go get it real quick, then come back."

Sam let go of me and instantly, my security blanket was gone.

"Y-You're leaving?"

"Just for a little while. I just need to go home and grab the book. I'll get some warmer blankets for us, too."

I looked up at her sadly, and then nodded. Sam smiled at me and placed one hand on my shoulder.

'I promise I won't be long."

"All right…" I whispered.

**Ahh the DxS fluff 3 I love it, don't you? X3 The story gets even more interesting in the next couple of chapters, which I will post very soon ^-^ Until then, please tell me what you think. =) **


	4. Chapter 4

_"Who Am I?"_

Chapter 4

*Sam's POV*

As I left the cove late at night, I could still feel Danny's glowing-green eyes still glued to me. I felt bad for having to leave him all alone again.

"But I may have some invaluable information that could give me a clue as to who or what he is. I have to do this." I assured myself.

Once I got out of the beach, I walked across the park. Luckily, my house was only a block or so away. Still, it was somewhat creepy walking through the desolate park in the middle of the night. It was a new moon, and the park lights were out, so I had only the glow from the stars to guide my way. I shivered as a cool breeze blew past me.

"I'm definitely getting a pair of sweats and a lot of extra blankets once I get home…" I muttered.

After a few minutes passed, I arrived at home. The inside of my house was quiet as always. An old grandfather clock in the living room made a "tick tock" sound as the hands shifted ever so slightly. I went up the creaky stairs to the second floor and then into my bedroom.

"All right, now I have to find that book."

I went to my bookshelf and began pulling out all of the books, novels, and magazines I had piled inside of it.

"Come on, it's got to be in here somewhere…"

I reached in the very back of the stack of books until I felt my hand grab something.

"A-ha! Gotcha!"

I slowly pulled the book out of the crevice. It was covered with a lot of dust and dirt. I blew off what I could, and then I wiped the rest of it away with my hand. In large, golden letters, the word "Atlantis" was spelled out on the book's light blue cover. Below the title was a depiction of the legendary utopian society. I got my bag and stuffed the book inside. Before I left, I also changed out of my swimsuit and into a pair of black sweats and a black tank top. I found a black hoodie in my closet, and I put that on, too.

"All set. Now I'll get back to Danny."

Even now, I felt bad about the lone teenager. When he told me of how humans rejected him, I couldn't believe anyone could be so heartless. Like me, no one ever gave him a chance.

"I just hope that I can help him…" I thought.

Clutching the bag close to me, I went downstairs and out the door, making sure that the door was shut and locked behind me.

~Line Break~

Back at the beach, I saw Danny sitting near the fire with his arms around his knees. The fire was still ablaze, but I noticed that the flames had started to dim. I walked over to him and sat down. Danny immediately smiled as he stretched and looked up at me.

"Sam! You came back!" he said happily.

I nodded and smiled.

"Of course I did, Danny. I said I would, didn't I?"

I reached into my bag and pulled out the blankets, both black. I handed Danny one and wrapped myself in the other.

"Thanks!" Danny said with gratitude as he pulled the blanket around him.

"You're welcome," I replied. "Now, about that book I mentioned earlier…"

I dug into my bag once more and pulled out the old, dusty book.

"Atlantis?"

"Yep. Atlantis is a city located somewhere underwater in the ocean," I explained. "According to legend, Atlantis is home to the God of Seas. His name is Poseidon."

I flipped open the book to a picture of Poseidon himself.

"Wow…" Danny said as his eyes widened.

"This is the picture I was talking about earlier, Danny. Like the older man in the photo in your locket, Poseidon has long black hair and blue eyes. And look at his ears."

I pointed at the picture. Like Danny, Poseidon also had fin-ears that reminded me of webbed feet. He also had arm fins.

"This guy looks just like me!" Danny cried.

"They all look like you, Danny. Look!"

I flipped the pages, and more pictures of creatures that looked nearly identical to Danny were on them.

"But wait, where are their feet?" asked Danny.

"These people are mermaids and mermen, Danny," I replied. "They don't have feet. Instead, they have a fish's tail."

"I don't have a tail. I have legs, Sam. Like you."

"Yet, your other physical appearances mirror these pictures perfectly. This doesn't make sense." I said.

"I'm confused, does this mean… I'm a mermaid?"

"Well first of all, since you're a guy, you'd be a merman, not a mermaid. Mermaids are girls, Danny."

"Oh…Oops."

"And second, I'm not sure. You don't have a tail, like they do. Maybe there's more information in this book that give us some leads."

I flipped passed the rest of the pictures and began reading.

"Let's see…Atlantian holidays, Atlantian customs, nope."

I turned the pages.

"Here we go, mer-people life and lifestyles. This is what we need."

Danny looked over my shoulder as I started to read.

"Look at this. It talks about how mer-people have children."

Danny scowled.

"Really, Sam?"

I rolled my eyes.

"Not what I meant, Danny. It says here that mer-people can mate two different ways. The first way is when the male entwines his tail with the female's tail. This method is generally more preferred because pregnancy is not possible."

"Where are you going with this, anyway?" Danny asked impatiently.

"It…uh…goes into more detail with that, but afterwards it talks about the second mating process."

Danny rolled his eyes.

"Oh, come on!"

"Danny, pay attention!"

"I'm not really that interested in how mer-people screw each other…" Danny muttered.

"That's not the point." I argued.

"Then what is your point?"

"It says that mer-people possess the ability to grow legs and walk on land. From there, they can mate just like humans do. In this way, this form of mating is much more intimate and can ultimately lead to reproduction."

Danny continued to scowl.

"Don't you get it? It's possible for mer-people to have legs, Danny. Perhaps you're more related to them than we think."

"Yeah, but read on," Danny said. "It also says that the legs are only temporary. Once they touch water again, their tails grow back. I've been in and out of the ocean millions of times, and I have never grown a tail."

"You're right," I agreed. "But then, what else could there-"

Suddenly, my hand accidentally slipped off the page by accident. It was slightly windy, so the pages began turning.

"Whoops! I've got it!" I said as I put my hand back down on the page to stop the ocean breeze from blowing the pages around again.

"Woah, hang on a minute. Take a look at what page it landed on."

"What is it?" Danny asked.

" ' Very rarely, mer-people are separated from the rest of the society during the first couple of years after birth. Because of this, the majority of mer-people offspring cut off from their parents will end up dead within a few weeks."

"What does this have to do with anything?"

"Danny, didn't you say that you've been alone for your whole life?"

"Yeah, so?"

"And you have that locket with the tiny picture of you and those other adults inside of it. Danny…I think those people…are your parents."

"My parents?"

I nodded.

"It makes sense. Shortly after you were born, you must have been separated from them at a very young age. That's why you've been alone this whole time."

I flipped the page.

" 'Separated mer-people, due to their distance from the rest of the population, never acquire their tails, but retain physical features such as webbed fin ears and arm fins."

"S-So…I'm…I'm really one of them?"

"I-I think so…You're a merman, Danny. You never acquired a tail because you and your parents were taken away from each other when you were little. Miraculously, you managed to survive."

I continued reading to see if there was any further information.

"So…that's it? I'll never grow a tail and therefore, I'll never get the chance to see if they're out there. My parents, that is…" Danny said softly.

"H-hang on a sec!"

My eyes caught something on the very bottom of the page. I yanked the book closer to me as I read the heart-stopping words over and over again.

"Oh no…"

Danny came over closer.

"What? What is it?"

" 'S-Separated mer-people who are lucky enough to reach adulthood undergo what this book calls a 'm-manual transformation."

"Into what?"

"It's a transformation where you acquire your tail as well as gills."

"Wow! Cool! That's awesome!" Danny said joyfully.

"N-Not really, Danny. The transformation involves every bone from the waist down breaking into small fragments."

Danny's smile as well as his joy immediately disappeared.

"B-Breaking?" Danny questioned with a startled look on his face.

"Shattering, Danny…the bones shatter and fuse into one hollow tail bone."

I gulped.

" 'Accounts of mer-people surviving this painful transformation have never been recorded or even heard of.' "

"W-Well, what else does it say?"

I continued on.

"It says that this transformation commences on the eighteenth birthday of the individual, and the duration of the entire process is about ten minutes. First, the bones crack, break, and condense into one bone, as I've said. Afterwards, it's less painful. Scales grow over the entire tail and a pair of fins extend at the tip. From there, three openings form on the neck, resulting in gills. Once that's done, the change is complete."

I shut the book and placed it back in my bag.

"But I don't understand…n-no one survived it? Not ever?" Danny asked softly.

I shook my head.

"The transformation is so painful that the individual ends up dying from pure shock."

"And to think," Danny whispered. "I'll be eighteen in about a week. If that's true, then I'll undergo that same transformation, too."

Danny sighed and put his head down. He didn't move for the longest time.

"Danny?"

He sniffed and his whole body tensed. Cautiously, I put one hand on his shoulder. I could easily tell that Danny was crying.

"Danny, it'll be okay…" I said as I consoled him.

"S-Sam…I d-don't…I don't want to die…"

I pulled Danny into my chest and wrapped my arms around his body.

"You're not going to die."

"B-But you saw what the book said! No one ever s-survived the change!"

"It also mentioned that those who did transform were all alone and often in poor health."

I rubbed his back and stroked his soft, white hair.

"We haven't known each other for very long, but we've already connected so much."

Danny sniffed and buried his head in my chest.

"You didn't know me, but you still saved my life. Even though I was a human, you risked your life to save my own. And now, Danny, it's my turn to save you. I won't let you go through this alone. Right when it happens, I'll be with you every step of the way."

Danny looked up at me, his green eyes filled with desperate tears.

"I'm not going to let you die, Danny. I promise."

**Chapter 5 is already written, and it includes the major change that Danny will go through. I plan on editing some parts as well as including detail. I'll have Chapter 5 posted at the very latest, tomorrow. I plan on trying to make the change somewhat graphic, so be ready for that. Until then, I hoped you liked the added DxS fluff :3 Please review =) **


	5. Chapter 5

_"Who Am I?"_

Chapter 5

*Sam's POV*

It was only a matter of time before Danny was going to turn eighteen, so I spent everyday preparing for what was to come. Although we weren't entirely sure that the transformation was bound to happen, I didn't want to risk it.

That night, Danny stayed curled up by me with his head in my chest. During the next few days, Danny and I gradually became closer. He no longer kept his distance or hid in the shadows. I felt like I could tell him anything. It was the same for him, too. As Danny became more comfortable with me being around the cove, he began to say more than just a few words at a time.

But, to be honest, there was still something nagging at me constantly. Every time I saw Danny, my heart began to pound loudly. Sometimes, I wondered if he could hear it whenever he was near me. Whenever I gazed into his soft, green eyes, I felt my body melt into goop. When Danny would sit close to me, a deep blush would always appear on my cheeks.

I wasn't oblivious to what all of these feelings were telling me, but I didn't want to believe it. Days passed, and that longing feeling I had for him only grew stronger.

"One week," I thought to myself as I looked up at Danny. "One week was all it took for me to fall for you."

Right now it was nightfall. Danny was setting up more driftwood for a fire. Once he was done, he put the extra firewood down in another pile. Danny went over to the unlit fire and bent down. I saw a small spark before the entire pile of wood went ablaze.

"There, all set." he said.

"How do you do that, anyway?" I asked. "I mean, how did you start that fire?"

"If I told you, you'd freak out."

I raised an eyebrow and crossed my arms.

"Try me."

Danny chuckled.

"All right, I'll tell you. But I'll only tell you if you promise that you won't get scared."

"I promise."

"Okay well…the truth is, I have these weird, freaky powers,"

Suddenly, Danny's hands began to glow a bright green.

"I can also turn invisible, intangible, and bend water at will."

"Wow, that's amazing!"

Danny smiled as he released the energy from his palms. He came over to me and sat down.

"Thanks, Sammy-Er, Sam! Sam! S-Sorry…um…"

I blushed and smiled.

"T-That's okay, Danny. Y-You can call me that…if you want to."

"But I thought that you hated being called Sammy?"

"I think I can make an exception." I replied.

Danny smiled and hugged me.

"Thank you…S-Sammy."

I blushed again when he called me by his new nickname for me. Gently, I allowed my head to lean back and rest on his shoulder. From the corner of my eye, I could have sworn I saw a tint of red on Danny's face.

"It's tomorrow, isn't it?" asked Danny. "T-The transformation…"

"It'll be all right, Danny. I'll be right there with you, just as I promised.

"I'm scared, Sammy. What if something bad happens?"

"No matter what happens, you won't be alone. I'll make sure everything will be okay. Just trust me."

"W-When exactly is the change supposed to happen tomorrow?"

"Let me check."

I pulled out the book and flipped to the page on the manual transformation.

"It says here that the transformation starts on the midnight of the individual's eighteenth birthday."

Danny gulped.

"M-Midnight? But it'll be midnight in a matter of minutes!"

I pulled Danny in closer and wrapped my arms around him.

"Remember what I told you, Danny. I'll be right there with you."

Without a second thought, I lifted my head up and gave Danny a quick kiss on the cheek. After I pulled away, both of us blushed. Danny placed his hand on the spot where I kissed him and smiled.

"S-Sammy?"

I smiled back at him.

"What was that for?" he asked.

My blush deepened, and I put my head down so that he couldn't see my embarrassment.

"I…I think…"

"W-What is it?"

"I think…I think I'm in love with you, Danny…" I said, my voice barely a whisper.

Danny's face was now as red as a tomato. At this point, I don't think my face could have gotten any redder, either.

"Y-You're in love with me?" Danny asked, still in shock.

I nodded because I had lost the ability to speak. I couldn't believe that I had admitted something like that to him. I regretted my inability to keep my mouth shut. Fearful of rejection, I put my head back down.

"Danny, I'm sorry. I-I shouldn't have-"

Suddenly, I felt one of Danny's warm hands cup my cheek and lift it up so that we were no staring in each other's eyes. His lips were no more than an inch away from mine.

"D-Danny…?"

"I think…I think I may be in love with you, too, Sammy…" Danny whispered.

"W-What? R-Really? Y-You're kidding!"

Danny shook his head.

"I'm not kidding, Sam. You're the first human to ever show any level of kindness and compassion towards me. You're the first person who has ever accepted me for me."

Danny moved in closer and rested his forehead against mine. His green eyes, beautiful pools of emerald, were locked on my violet eyes as we gazed into each other's stare. I noticed that his fin ears were folded back slightly, and the blush on his face hadn't disappeared.

"I never felt this emotion before. It doesn't matter, though. If this is what love feels like, then…then I'm willing to take that risk of venturing out into the unknown. That is, if you'd be willing to take that chance, too, Sam."

I smiled.

"Me too, Danny…I…I love you."

"I love you, too, Sam." he whispered back with a soft voice.

Right as Danny was about to lean in and kiss me, I heard a bell toll in a distant city. The droning sound, which startled us both, continued for a few seconds before fading away to nothing.

"Oh no…m-midnight…" I gasped.

And after the sounds disappeared, that's when all Hell broke loose. Danny pulled away from me and fell backwards. After landing on the ground, he let out a blood-curdling scream.

"AHH!"

"Danny!"

Quickly, I helped him get to the mattress inside the cove. After helping him lay down on the soft matt of leaves, I rushed to his side. Danny's inhumane screams of pain sent chills up and down my spine. Each scream sounded more agonizing than the last. Danny flung his head backwards and arched his back as his bones began cracking. My eyes watered with tears as I sat there helplessly while the one I loved more than anything writhed in agony.

"S-Sammy…" Danny croaked with a weak voice.

I took his hand and held it in my own.

"I'm right here, Danny. It's going to be all right. This will all be over, soon."

Danny looked up at me, and to my surprise, he was smiling.

"Y-You're always there for me, S-Sammy. I don't know what I'd do without you."

I gave a sharp nod.

"Danny, when the pain intensifies, I want you to squeeze my hand as hard as you can. Don't worry about hurting me because I'll be fine."

Danny gripped my hand loosely.

"O-Okay…"

Danny laid his head back down before letting out another loud scream of pain. The sound reminded me of nails on a chalkboard. I felt my heart ache as I heard Danny cry out from the agonizing transformation. In between his outbursts, I could hear the sounds of his bones cracking and finally shattering into a million tiny pieces. I flinched every time I heard it. The unholy metamorphosis tore apart Danny's strong skeletal structure as if it were made out of thin glass.

Danny's forehead was very warm and covered in sweat, as was the rest of his body. To try and make it easier on him, I pulled off both of his shirts and covered the lower-half of his body with a black blanket. Then, I took a damp rag and wiped his face.

"Is that any better?" I asked.

"A l-little…" Danny whispered.

The remaining bones in his waist, legs, and feet crumbled to nothing but dusty remains and fragments. Danny squeezed my hand tightly and dug his fingernails into my skin. The deep claw marks he made in my hand started bruising and bleeding. I could see blood trickle down my arm like a river of crimson red. It hurt, but I knew that this pain was nothing compared to what he was going through.

Danny stopped screaming, and then there was silence.

"The rest of your bones must have just finished breaking down."

Danny didn't say anything. His eyes were closed and his body was still.

"Danny? Danny? Danny!"

I placed my hand on his chest, but I didn't feel anything. I didn't even feel a pulse or feel his chest rise up and down.

"D-Danny…Y-You can't be…Y-You can't!"

I gently brushed the hair out of Danny's face and kissed his cheek. As soon as I did that, Danny groaned loudly.

"Danny!"

I sighed with relief, grateful that he had survived.

"The worst part is over, Danny, but you're not out of the woods just yet."

Danny's chest began rising again, but slowly. I could tell that he was having a hard time breathing. Each breath was weaker than the last, but at least he was still breathing.

"S-Sammy, I c-can't take this anymore…It hurts…Please, m-make it stop!" he begged.

My heart shattered when Danny looked at me with sad, moribund eyes filled with tears. The once bright-green glow that lit up the entire cove was now like an uncharged, dead battery.

"The next phase of the change shouldn't hurt. It's just going to feel a little weird." I said reassuringly.

"W-What is it this time?"

"Your legs will fuse together, which they probably already have. It'll start to feel a little funky when your scales come in."

"S-Scales?"

I nodded.

"Fish scales that will cover your tail, Danny."

And sure enough, I soon heard the sound of scales scraping against each other. Danny loosened his grip on my hand, but he still didn't let go.

"It doesn't hurt, does it?"

Panting, Danny slowly shook his head.

"N-No, it doesn't. It just feels really weird, like you said."

A few moments later, the odd noise ceased and never restarted. I glanced over at the end of the blanket where Danny's feet would have normally been. To my surprise, there was a white and silver fin sticking out from underneath the blanket. I pulled the blanket completely off of him and gasped.

Like his eyes, Danny's tail was a sparkly emerald with various shades of green mixed in. His tail was so long that the very tip of it was partially in the ocean. I blushed slightly when I saw how low-cut the tail was. It started just a few inches below his waist. His scales shimmered beautifully under the light of the dim fire.

"Unbelievable…" I whispered in awe.

Danny looked over at me in concern.

"What? What is it?"

I covered Danny with the blanket again and smiled softly.

"Relax, Danny. Your tail has just finished forming, the scales have grown, and your tail fin has just appeared."

Danny then started scratching his neck.

"Man, my neck is itchy! What is this? Why does it feel all scaly and weird?"

"Those are your gills. They're what will allow you to breathe underwater. Don't itch them or they may start bleeding."

Danny stopped scratching and put his hand back down.

"S-Sorry…"

"It's okay. I just don't want you to hurt yourself."

I reached into my bag and pulled out a couple of extra rags. I drenched them both in water, placed one on Danny's forehead, and one on his neck.

"You're a water-breather now," I explained. "That's why I put a wet rag over your gills. The rag on your hand is just supposed to cool you down."

Danny nodded and smiled.

"T-Thank you, S-Sammy."

"It's no trouble at all." I replied with a smile.

"So, it's finally over?"

I opened the book again and read over the information.

"Yes, Danny," I said after shutting the book. "It's finally over."

Suddenly, Danny sat up. Alarmed, I tried to coax him to lie back down.

"Danny, you need to rest! You shouldn't be sitting up now!"

I looked at him and my eyes widened in shock. Aside from the tail and gills, Danny had another shift in appearance that I was not aware would happen. His hair, which was once so short and rested just above his shoulders, was now down to the middle of his back. His bangs, which covered the area between his fin ears and cheeks, had grown down to right below his collarbone.

"Holy shit, that's some long hair!"

Danny pulled his hair into his hand and gently stroked it.

"Why did my hair get so long? How did my hair get so long?"

I shrugged.

"I honestly don't know. Maybe it's just a part of the transformation. Mind if I-?"

Danny nodded, and I took a bundle of his hair in my hand. His hair was soft as a cotton ball and smoother than silk. I ran my hand through it a few times and smiled as it flowed freely through my fingers. I also noticed that Danny's hair had a god-like feel to it. The way it framed his face reminded me of the way Poseidon was depicted in the Atlantian book.

"Wow, that's amazing."

Danny smiled and lay back down on his back.

" You must be really worn out from the pain, Danny. Why don't you get some sleep?"

Danny yawned.

"O-Okay Sammy, I-I will. And thanks…f-for everything."

I curled up next to him underneath the blanket. I could feel his scaly tail brush up against my leg, but I didn't mind.

"You're welcome, now shut your eyes and get some rest."

I kissed him on the cheek and snuggled close to his body.

"Goodnight, Danny."

I felt Danny shift and rest on his side. Gently, I pulled him in closer and allowed his head to rest in my chest. I loosely wrapped my arms around him and rested my hands on his back.

"Goodnight, Sam…"

Danny's eyes fluttered shut as he buried his head in my chest. I pulled the blanket over us and stroked his long, silvery hair until I was sure that Danny had fallen asleep. It wasn't long before I, too, had drifted into a peaceful slumber.

**Okay, so the change wasn't AS GRAPHIC as I thought it would be, but I'm still happy with it. Sorry to those DxS fans hoping that Danny and Sam would finally kiss in this chapter. It's just like Mother Nature to get in the way of things XD ^^;**

**I promise there will be some lip-action soon so be patient.**

**As for Danny's long hair as well as the references to Poseidon, that information will be key in future chapters, so that's why I added in detail about it. I will try to update very soon. So, what did you think? :3**


	6. Chapter 6 Revised

_**My apologies for those who have already read this chapter, but I have edited some parts, and added a few things. I'll also do my best to correct any grammatical errors I may come across.**_

_**NOTE: Many major things have changed, and I did add in a little more angst and emotion toward the middle and end. I also apologize for parts I may have rushed or took too long to explain. I'm still somewhat new to writing fan-fiction, but I'll do my best to make this chapter much better for you guys. Anyway, I'll stop rambling on. Enjoy Chapter 6(Revised).**_

_"Who Am I?"_

Chapter 6 (Revised 6-21-12)

*Danny's POV*

Pain...Misery...Agony…They were the only things on my mind during the transformation from Hell that made me half-fish. My thoughts were so jumbled after that ordeal that I couldn't even think straight. As I lay in Sam's chest, I forced myself to clear my head and relax. With her gentle fingers, Sam combed through my long, white hair. I loved her soft touch. It made me feel like I was in Heaven dancing amongst the angels. I yawned and buried my head in her chest. It wasn't hard for me to fall asleep after everything I went through that day. As Sam's soft arms wrapped around me, I surrendered myself to the world of dreams within a matter of minutes.

Dawn arrived a few hours later. The sun's morning rays had just begun to shine over the horizon. As the bright light shined in my eyes, I yawned and stretched. Compared to last night, I was feeling much better, so I sat up. I looked around, but the cove was empty. Sam wasn't anywhere to be found. I didn't think much of it, though.

"She must be getting some food or using the bathroom." I said as I shrugged.

I took this time to really look myself over in full detail. I could feel the long strands of my silky hair rest on the lower half of my back. Gently, I pulled it around my waist and began stroking it. I let the strands fall from my hands, and my hair flowed freely in the ocean breeze. Afterwards, I took the blanket off of me and placed my hand on my new, emerald tail.

"I can't believe this is actually happening…" I thought to myself.

I contracted my tail toward my body and coiled it around like a snake. As the sun's light reflected off of my scales, they began to shimmer and sparkle. I smiled as I ran my hand over the length of my tail. From my waist down to the tip of my tail, I judged it to be about ten feet long. My tail was also very heavy. In fact, I could barely move because of the tremendous weight. I barely managed dragging myself out of the cove and onto the beach. Just as I made it onto the soft, golden sand, I saw Sam coming toward me. She had some firewood and a basket of fruit in her arms.

"Danny?" She called out to me.

I smiled and waved my hand to let her know that I was all right. Sam hurried over and bent down, putting the supplies on the ground as she did.

"Are you feeling any better?"

I nodded.

"Much better, actually. It's just hard for me to get around, now."

My beached tail flopped around on the ground, dry as a desert. I could also feel my arms fins and fin ears start to become dry from the lack of water. Placing one hand on my gills, I began coughing.

"We need to get you in the water, Danny."

Sam gently pulled me by the arms into the ocean.

"S-Sam! I-I'm not sure about this. I don't know if I can swim…"

"You're a merman, Danny. Of course you can swim."

"B-But I've never swum with my tail before! I don't know if I can do this."

Sam smiled.

"It'll be all right Danny. You were born to live in the sea. Just trust yourself and your natural instinct."

"S-Sammy!"

Sam helped me get farther out and before long, I was splashing frantically in order to stay afloat.

"Danny, just relax. You'll be okay."

"Sam, I can't do this!" I repeated. "I-I'm going under!"

My tail swayed back and forth in the water like a useless piece of meat. No matter how hard I tried, I could not figure out how to get the damn thing to move the way I needed it to.

"Relax, Danny," Sam called out again. "I know you can do it."

It wasn't long before I felt my head disappear below the ocean waves. As I continued struggling around, my long hair sprawled out all around me, and my tail thrashed about. I thought that at any moment, I would pass out from the lack of oxygen. To my surprise, I felt perfectly fine. I didn't even feel dizzy or light-headed. I stopped waving my arms around like a crazy person and did what Sam told me to do-relax. My tail muscles flexed and relaxed as I stayed put in a motionless state. I willed my tail to move and sure enough, it did. I propelled myself foreword and smiled as I felt my body move with the ocean current.

"I'm doing it!" I thought to myself. "I'm really doing it! I'm swimming!"

I was happy as a young child who had just learned how to swim without a life vest or floaters. Pathetic, maybe, but I was still proud of myself. I poked my head out of the water, and I saw Sam looking back at me with a smile on her face.

" I knew you could do it, Danny." She said proudly.

Happily, I swam through the narrow opening of the cove. Sam came inside soon after with a smile on her face. I went into the little pool and pulled myself halfway out of the water. My upper torso rested on the soft rock floor of the cove while my tail remained in the ocean.

"T-Thanks, Sammy." I said as a slight blush appeared on my cheeks.

Sam kneeled down and smiled.

"All it took was a little practice. Once you get used to swimming around with that tail, it'll get much easier for you."

I nodded.

"Yep! And it's all thanks to you, Sam."

"I don't think so, Danny. You did it all on your own. I didn't do anything."

"No, but you believed that I could do it," I countered. "And that's more than I could ever ask for. You believed in me and in my ability. I can swim because you told me I could, and I believed you."

"Really?" Sam asked in disbelief.

I nodded once more.

"Yes, Sam. You gave me the courage to trust in myself. In fact, I don't even think I would have made it through the change without you being there."

"That's not entirely true, Danny…You probably would have survived if I hadn't been there."

"I only managed to pull through because you were there with me, Sam. Stop being so modest." I replied with a smile.

"O-Okay…Well either way, I'm glad that you're all right. You survived the change, and you figured out how to use your tail to swim in the water,"

Sam took a deep breath and sighed.

"And now, you should probably get going…"

Confused, I looked up at her.

"What are you talking about, Sam? Why do I need to 'get going'?"

"You need to live in to the ocean and away from the cove. It's not good for your health if you continue to live on land like a beached whale."

I shook my head.

"The cove is my home, Sam. I've lived here for as long as I can remember, and I don't want to leave. Besides, where would I go anyway?"

"If you stay on land, you might get sick. In the ocean, you'll be free. Free to swim around and meet others like you. Free to find your place within the world. Free to discover your own destiny. The ocean is where you belong."

"S-Sammy…"

"you can go find your parents. You can meet them, Danny. You can finally answer that question that's been troubling you all this time."

"Sammy, no! I can't leave you!" I said again.

"You can find out who you are and what your place is in this world." Sam repeated.

I cupped her face with my hands and gently pulled her to me.

"Danny, please…"

"I'm not leaving you, Sam. I can't leave you behind!"

Sam shut her eyes and sniffed.

"Y-You have to…you belong out there. In the ocean."

"I belong with YOU, Sammy," I whispered back. " I meant what I said about wanting to be with you and spend time being by your side. I've already confessed my feelings for you, and they haven't changed. "

"No, Danny…D-Don't do this to me…"

"I think I know why I'm so attracted to you, Sam. Out here, I'm all alone with no one to talk to. When you came into my life, I was nervous at first. But after a while, I began to find trust you. It didn't take long me for me to realize that I was falling in love with you, Sam, and, now, no matter how hard I try, I can't stop thinking about you."

Sam tried to pull herself free, but I held her chin firmly.

"Danny, let go. Please!"

"No."

"Danny!"

"No, Sam! I won't!"

I saw a single tear fall from Sam's eyes. It wasn't long before many more followed. I tried my best to wipe them away, but it was no use.

"Why are you crying, Sam?" I asked softly.

"B-Because…B-because I love you, too!"

I smiled softly at her.

"I don't understand why are you so upset about that, Sam. I've told you twice now that I love you, too. There's no reason to cry."

"I'm upset because I know I can't ever be with you."

"W-What…?"

Sam yanked herself out of my grip and stood up. Startled, I remained motionless and frozen. More tears ran down Sam's face as she clenched her fists tightly.

"We can't ever be together, Danny! It just won't work! It will NEVER work!"

"B-But…"

"I have legs, Danny…LEGS! I belong here! On land! You have gills and a tail! You're meant to live THERE! In the sea!" Sam cried as she gestured to the open water.

"That doesn't mean anything, Sam. If staying on land will keep up together, then I'll stay here with you."

"And just what kind of relationship is that?" Sam retorted. "You know damn well you won't last very long on land! I'd watch you dry up like a raisin in the sun!"

"I can't just leave you, Sam," I whispered softly. "I've…I've already bonded to you so much…"

Sam shook her head and turned to leave.

"I have to go, Danny…We…We shouldn't do this anymore."

"Sam!" I called. "What do you mean by that?"

Sam sighed.

"I mean…we shouldn't be together anymore. No more talking. No more interactions. Nothing."

"Y-You're kidding!"

"It's the only way, Danny. I…I just need to forget that any of this ever happened. And you should, too."

"But I can't forget you, Sammy!"

"D-Don't call me that!" Sam yelled as she turned back around to face me.

"S-Sammy…"

"I said don't call me that, Danny! Don't!"

"B-But-"

"No! Just stay away from me! Don't talk to me anymore!"

Hurt, I backed up into the corner of the pool and stayed silent.

"I never want to see you again! I'm never coming back! I…I…"

I looked up at her with pleading eyes. At any moment, I thought I was going to cry, but I stayed strong.

"I hate this!" Sam yelled. Then, she turned to face me with an angry glare. "And I hate YOU for making me feel like this! I HATE YOU!"

Staying strong was no longer possible for me. I lowered my head and bit my lower lip. My long bangs covered my face as tears streamed down my face. My body trembled as Sam's words struck my body like daggers. Through my sobs, I heard footsteps receding away from me. I looked up and saw that Sam was halfway to the wooden stairs.

"Sam!" I cried as more tears slid down my cheeks. "Sam, wait!"

"GO AWAY, DANNY! GO!" Sam yelled as she continued running. "GO! YOU DON'T BELONG HERE ANYMORE! JUST GO. AND NEVER COME BACK!"

Sam didn't say anything more as she continued to run. Once she reached the steps, she hurriedly went up them and then through park. She never looked back.

~~~~~Line Break~~~~~~

*Still Danny's POV; A few hours later*

Time passed, and I never moved. My tail would not budge nor did I have the will and energy to leave. I looked out of the cove and saw that sunset was imminent. Normally, I would always sit and watch, but now, I wasn't in the mood. I forced myself out of the pool and into the part of the ocean that surrounds the cove. Inside, I saw piles of firewood, my shirts, and the shredded remains of my jeans that I had on prior to the transformation scattered on the floor.

"She's really gone," I thought to myself. "And she took everything with her."

It was like Sam had never been here. All of her belongings had vanished, just as she had. I sighed and turned my back on the cove. I placed one hand on my chest and clutched it into a fist. My broken heart throbbed with pain and sorrow every second. I swam away from the cove and out into the open water. Not too far out I saw a flat rock sticking up out of the water. I went over to it and lifted my body onto the surface. Except for my tail fin, I was able to get my entire body on land.

But once I had finally taken everything in, that's when I completely broke down. I pounded my fist into the hard rock angrily.

"Damn it, why? Why does shit like this always happen to me. Every time I think something or someone good comes into my life, it's always forcefully taken away from me! Damn it! Damn it!"

I slammed my fist down once more. Rocks broke off and dug into my skin, which tore open and began bleeding. I lifted my bleeding hand and glanced at it for a second. The blood trickled from the wounds, but I didn't care. I slammed it down again and started to cry. For the second time in my life, I sobbed like crazy. I allowed the tears to flow freely from my eyes like a broken faucet. My face became sticky as my tears began to dry up. I didn't care; I just wanted my Sammy back. There wasn't another girl out there like her. I knew that if I couldn't be with her, I would die alone with a shattered heart.

"How can she not know the way I care for her? The way I feel for her? Does she not know how much my heart aches for her?" I said softly.

"I love you, Sam. I love you. More than you'll ever know…Physical differences…why must they always get in the way of my happiness? For once, I'd just wish things would work out in my favor. Just once, I want to be happy. Is that so much to ask?"

~~~~Line Break~~~~

*Meanwhile, at Sam's house; Sam's POV*

"What the hell did I just do?"

Once I arrived at home, I slammed the door shut and ran upstairs to my bedroom. I didn't even make it halfway up the stairs before I began crying all over again. I flung the door to my room open, and slammed that shut as well. I curled up on my bed and wrapped my hands around my knees. Warm tears slid down my face and dripped onto the crimson-colored sheets on my bed.

"He probably hates me now, too," I whispered between sobs. "After everything I said to him, I wouldn't put it past Danny to hate me more than anything. I broke his heart without warning or mercy."

I lay out on my back and stared up at the ceiling. I placed both hands on my chest over my beating heart, which thumped slowly and painfully like a pulsating bass drum.

"What was I thinking? None of the words I said to him had any validity whatsoever. How could I be so harsh to the one person, besides my grandmother, who ever understood me?"

I looked out through my window and saw a beautiful sunset with reds, yellows, and oranges all blended together in perfect harmony.

"I wonder how he's doing anyway. Has he moved on and left the cove? Has he forgotten about me already?"

As I stared out the window, I lowered my head in shame.

"I owe it to myself, and especially to him, to apologize for what I've said. I can't just end our relationship like that without closure. That's not right. Danny deserves more than that. He deserves way better treatment than what I gave him. Human or not, Danny has feelings and a heart. A heart, which I ripped, out and tore in half. I have to make things right again…or I can't move on."

~~~~Line Break~~~~

*Still Sam's POV*

By the time I got back to the beach, it was nearly nightfall. I rushed down the wooden steps and across the sand. When I peered inside the cove, I only saw darkness.

"Danny? Hello? Is anyone there?"

I heard nothing but the sounds of the ocean waves crashing into the edge of the cove and flowing back into the ocean. I bent down and sighed.

"He must have done what I said and left," I said hopelessly. "Now I'll never get the chance to make up for what I've done…"

I pulled off my combat boots and stuck my feet in the water. To my surprise, the water was warm and soothing. But not even the motion of the gentle ocean could soothe my damaged soul.

"Danny…I'm sorry…I'm so so sorry…"

I looked out to the ocean with a defeated, hopeless expression on my face. After a few seconds, I noticed something move. There was a rock ledge sticking out of the water, and something, or someone, was on it.

"What is that?"

At a closer glance, I saw a long cylindrical object coil around in a tight circle. Something on it appeared to shimmer as the rays of light reflected off of it. On closer inspection, I realized it was Danny's tail.

"Danny!"

I immediately stood up and began calling out to him.

"Danny! Danny! Can you hear me? Danny!"

No matter how loudly I called out, Danny never turned to acknowledge that I was there. It was too dark by this point, so I couldn't tell what he was doing. Luckily, I had my swimsuit on underneath my sweats, so I pulled them off and jumped into the water. I swam over to the rock ledge where I spotted Danny as fast as I could.

*Danny's POV*

As I stayed there motionless on the rock ledge, my fin-ears twitched. I turned my head to see what was causing the disturbance.

"Danny!"

In disbelief, I sat up and looked in the direction of the voice. I saw a lone human in the water paddling her way toward me. As she approached me, I recognized her as Sam.

"Sam? Sam!"

Sam swam faster until she eventually reached the ledged. She hurriedly scrambled to get onto the rock ledge. Gently, I picked her up by the arms and helped her get up.

"D-Danny…"

I didn't say anything. To be honest, I didn't know what to say to her. I didn't have the slightest idea as to why she was here.

"Danny," She said again. "I'm…I'm sorry…"

Shocked, I looked up at her.

"You're sorry?" I said in a weak, quiet voice. "For what?"

Sam put her head down shamefully.

"For everything I said before. For all the harsh words I lashed out at you."

I sighed and turned away.

"It's for the best, Sam. Don't apologize; you were right. We shouldn't see each other anymore."

Sam shook her head.

"No, Danny. No one deserves to be treated like that. You've been such a wonderful friend to me. You have a good heart, Danny, and I was foolish to toy with it like it was nothing. With all my soul and very being, I'm sincerely sorry for what I've done."

I didn't say anything.

"I just wanted to make things right before I never see you again. The way I talked to you before was crap. Mending what has been broken is the very least I can do to show my apologies. I care about you a lot, and I feel terrible for putting you through that pain. I just didn't want you holding on to what you could never have. I wanted you to be free and happy. That's all I ever wanted."

I took Sam's hand and pulled her close to me.

"I was never angry at YOU, Sam," I whispered softly. "I was angry at myself for being different. It's my fishy characteristics that keep us apart. If I still had my legs, I would gladly leave the cove and live on land with you. I'm angry at the world for putting me on this dead-end path to nowhere. I'm angry because every time something good happens to me, fate has a cruel way of taking it back."

I wrapped my arms around Sam and snuggled with her.

"And no matter what you say to me, I'll never stop loving you. I'll never let go of the feelings I have for you. It doesn't matter to me if I'm a fish and you're a human. I'll always love you."

Sam smiled and rested her head on my shoulder.

"I love you, too Danny. But despite everything you said, our needs to survive in different worlds will always be a barrier between us. You must know that, right?"

I nodded.

"I'd rather be with you anyway instead of being out here all alone. And besides, I don't have to travel far out in the ocean to live. I can still stay close to the beach and still be with you all of the time."

Sam smiled.

"I'd like that…I really would…"

I smiled back at her and cupped her cheek.

"You know, I never did get the chance to kiss you before," I said softly. "My lovely transformation got in the way with that. How about we make up for lost time, Sam?"

Sam smirked.

"How many times have I told you, Danny? It's 'Sammy', remember?"

I laughed.

"OHOH! So I can call you that now? I won't get in trouble or yelled at anymore?" I asked hopefully.

"Oh just shut up and kiss me already, Danny!"

"So you have wished it, so shall it be…" I replied back dreamily.

Using one hand, I gently lifted her chin to mine. I looked at her with my soft, green eyes before leaning in and doing what I've wanted to do for the longest time. I pulled Sam in closer until the gap between us was finally closed. My eyes fluttered shut as I wrapped my arms tightly around Sam's body. Our lips seemed to come together perfectly like adjacent pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. Still keeping a tight, yet gentle, grip on her body, I began to deepen the kiss. After a few seconds, I felt Sam's arms wrap around my neck as she began kissing me back. Feeling confident, I slid my tongue through the opening in Sam's lips and forced myself inside. I wasn't an expert on making out, but after seeing hundreds of humans back at the school "show affection" to each other, I learned a thing or two about it. Sam didn't seem to mind, and her own tongue slid past mine and began to explore my mouth as well. As our tongues battled for dominance, I didn't even realize a bright purple light shine from Sam's lower half of her body. Eventually, Sam and I pulled apart, a thin thread of drool still connecting my mouth to hers. I smiled and pulled her into my chest with my arms still around her.

"I love you."

Sam wrapped her arms around me in return and snuggled in my chest.

"I love you, too, Danny…I lo-"

Suddenly, the light from before became more intense. Blindsided, I shut my eyes in a desperate attempt to shield myself from exposure. The light began to dim after a few seconds, so I hesitantly opened my eyes. I looked over at Sam, and my eyes widened in shock.

"S-Sam!"

Sam's hair, which was once as short as mine prior to the transformation, was down to her middle back. Her bangs had increased in length, and they were now covering her chest. Sam was no longer wearing her bikini top from before. Instead, her chest was bare, covered only by her thick, black curls. I blushed slightly and turned away.

"D-Danny?"

Sam looked down at herself and immediately wrapped her arms around herself as a dark shade of red appeared on her face.

"Danny, what's going on?"

I looked back over at her and stared in shock. Through the thin threads of her hair, I could see three slits in her neck, just like the ones I had.

"Gills…" I gasped.

"W-What? D-Did you say gills? I have gills?"

I felt myself nod, but I couldn't speak. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Sam took one hand and stroked her neck. As she ran her hand over the bumpy grooves, she trembled with fear.

"D-Danny, what's happening to me?"

I got the answer to her question as I looked behind her. On the rough surface of the rock, I saw a dark purple tail with a light purple fin. Like mine, the fin was partially submerged in the water. As it brushed against mine, I felt the scales rub together and make a scraping sound as they touched.

"Holy shit…" was all I could say.

**All right, so there you have it. I edited a LOT of parts in this chapter. I mostly added angst, as well as emotion, with the slight break up scene in the middle of the chapter. The chapter turned out longer than I expected, but I love how this came out even better than the first time. To the reviewer who gave me the constructive criticism from before, I hope that this is more to your liking. Please let me know how I did on this chapter, and if you already did read it, does it sound any better? =3**

**Chapter 7 will be up ASAP. I appreciate any and all reviews or comments you may have 3**


	7. Chapter 7

**Incase you didn't know, I re-wrote part of chapter 6 to make it more emotional and "angsty". The storyline hasn't changed much, but I did add in quite a bit of detail.****Anyway, I'll continue on with chapter 7. But please, go back and read chapter 6 if you haven't read the revised edition already. Thanks! :]**

_"Who Am I?" _

Chapter 7

*Sam's POV*

Time seemed to freeze itself over as I looked down at my body. On my neck, I had three slits that felt slimy as a fish's skin. Instead of legs, I had an amethyst tail that started shimmering as the sun reflected off tiny water droplets scattered on it. To make matters worse, my bathing suit top had disappeared, and there was a guy sitting right next to me. My hair had doubled in length, so that helped to conceal my chest. Out of embarrassment, I wrapped my arms around my body and clutched myself as firmly as I could.

"Danny, what's h-happened t-to me?" I asked again as I trembled with fear.

Danny looked at me with widened eyes and a dropped jaw. Hesitantly, he extended his hand and placed it on my tail. Upon contact with his hand, my tail contracted and flicked itself on his. I gripped myself tighter and gasped.

"D-Danny?"

Danny took his hand away and placed it on my cheek. He smiled at me lovingly and gazed into my eyes with his glowing green pools of emerald swirls.

"Sam, l-look at you. Y-You're-"

"A fish?"

Danny shook his head. He gently pulled me closer and pushed my arms away so that he could wrap his own around me. As our bare chests touched each other for the first time, I blushed and began to tense up. Apprehensively, I wondered what Danny was going to do.

"No Sam. You're beautiful. Absolutely beautiful. You are the most majestic, divine creature I had ever set my eyes on. "

I wanted to hit him. I wanted to punch him in the face for casually hitting on me as I was sitting there in plain sight with a fish's tail and a naked chest. Danny pulled me in even closer (if that were even possible) and locked his lips with mine before I had the chance to protest. Still filled with rage, I struggled around, but Danny kept me in his grip. I soon felt my body relax, and before long, all of my anger faded away. Danny was the first to break the kiss before resting his forehead against mine. He smiled at me once more with his silly grin, and I couldn't help but smile back at him.

"Stop that!" I scolded playfully.

Danny's grin widened as he cocked his head slightly.

"Stop what?" he asked in an innocent voice.

I rolled my eyes and socked him in the arm.

"Ow! What?"

I giggled and leaned over to kiss him on the cheek.

"Oh, Danny, no matter was you say or do, I can't stay mad at you."

Danny smirked.

"Oh, really? Interesting. I'll have to keep that in mind." He said, as his smug expression grew bigger.

"Just be lucky you're sexy and muscular." I replied jokingly.

Danny flinched and pretended to cringe in pain.

"Ouch, that hurts, but I'll take it."

Danny tried to pull me into his arms once more, but I shrugged him away.

"Sam?"

"D-Danny, the fact still remains that I'm a…a…"

"A beautiful mermaid?"

I felt myself blush slightly.

"I t-think so, but I'm not entirely sure what's going on…Even if I am a m-mermaid, h-how did I end up this way?"

"Because I…kissed you?" Danny asked in a sarcastic tone.

"W-What does that have to do with anything? And for your information, the sarcasm is NOT appreciated!" I snapped.

Danny shrugged.

"I don't know. What I do know is that after our first kiss, there was a bright light, and when I could open my eyes, I saw that you had a mermaid's tail. If that isn't the reason why you changed, then I'm not sure what is."

I sighed and put my head down. There was no denying his logic; So far, it was the only possibility that we had. And it made perfect sense.

"Sam? Is everything okay?" Danny asked with concern.

Suddenly, I got an idea. I looked up and smiled at him.

"I don't have the slightest idea of why this happened," I began.

Danny looked back at me with confusion.

"Yeah, and…?"

"But I know how we can find out. Danny, do you remember that blue book I showed you once?"

"You mean the one about Atlantis and mer-people? Yeah, I remember. What about it?"

"Maybe there's something in it about humans turning into mer-people themselves. It's worth a shot looking through it once more." I suggested.

"But how are we supposed to get the book?" asked Danny. "Didn't you take it back home with you when you left?"

I shook my head.

"No I didn't. I left it in the cove."

"But I didn't see anything in there earlier. Are you sure it's in the cove?"

"Yes, Danny. I'm sure. Positive, actually. I hid it in the back within the shadows of the cove. I wanted you to find it, and I hoped that it would be of some use to you. As far as I'm concerned, that book was better off in your hands than in mine."

Danny averted his eyes and sighed.

"I see…well, you're probably right. I'll swim back to the cove and take a look around. Will you be okay on this ledge for a minute or two?"

"I'll be all right. Just don't take too long." I replied.

Danny nodded and gave me a quick kiss on the cheek.

"I'll be back soon, Sam."

Before he left, I pulled him back into a hug. I snuggled in his chest and held on tightly.

"I love you, Danny."

"I love you, too, Sam." Danny replied in a sweet, gentle voice.

"Hey, Danny? Could you do me a favor when you go to the cove?"

"Sure, Sam. What is it?"

"Well, along with the Atlantis book, there should also be a pair of sweats and a sweatshirt in the cove. Obviously, the pants are pointless to bring, but could you grab my sweatshirt? Just so…I have something to wear?"

Danny and I both blushed at the same time and turned away from each other. I covered my chest with my hair and arms as best as I could, feeling my body temperature rise every second.

"S-Sure, that's no problem. I'll get it. O-Okay, I'll be back soon, just as I said."

Danny slid himself off of the rock ledge and plummeted into the water. Like an Olympic swimmer, he tore through the ocean waves as fast as lightning. His tail flickered up out of the current, splashing water into the sky as he moved ever so gracefully.

~Line Break~

Danny came back to the rock ledge about ten minutes later. He was holding the book wrapped with my sweatshirt to prevent the pages from getting wet. If that were to happen, the letters would blur, and then there would be no way of deciphering them.

"Here, Sam. Take this." Danny said as he handed me the bundle in his arms.

I took it from him and placed it on the ground next to me. Danny hauled himself out of the water and sat next to me on the other side. Carefully, I unwrapped the book and pulled the sweatshirt over my head. Once I had it on, I took my hair out from underneath the shirt and pulled it back. I didn't have my hair-tie with me, so I just let my hair rest against my back.

"All right, let's take a look." I said as I picked up the book.

I flipped through the crinkled-up, yellowed pages and skimmed over the passages as fast as I could.

"Did you find anything?" Danny asked.

I shook my head.

"Not yet, but I'll keep looking. Just hold on for a few minutes."

I turned to the last few pages of the book and read them over. There were many pictures with captions underneath them. However, instead of being informative, the depictions appeared to tell a story.

"Danny, check this out."

What is it?"

"I'm not entirely sure, but it appears to be an old mer-people myth. It tells of a young teenage girl who rescued an injured merman."

"Go on, read it," urged Danny. "It sounds interesting."

"Okay, I will," I said. "It says here that the girl's name was Amy, and she had long, dark-brown hair and brown eyes. She had been separated from her family, so she wandered off looking for help until she came across an abandoned beach."

"Then what did she do?" Danny asked.

"She began to cry. It had started raining, so she took cover in a cove, just like yours. Amy was cold, hungry, and lonely. She cried because she didn't know what to do. Her family was gone, and she didn't think that she'd ever see them again. The nearest town was over a hundred miles away, and there was no one nearby that she could ask for help."

Danny frowned as his ears drooped.

"That poor girl…"

"When all hope seemed lost, Amy spotted someone on the beach, She came out of the cove and saw that it was a boy about her age. He had long black hair and ruby-red eyes. Instead of legs, the boy had a long, crimson tail with black specks of color scattered on it. He also had black and red fin-ears and red arm fins-just like you, Danny."

"Except that they're different colors," Danny added. "Other than that, you're right. So when Amy saw him, was she scared? I bet she was."

I shook my head.

"No, she wasn't. The merman had many wounds, cuts, and bruises all over him. He was bleeding so much that the ocean waves were stained red from his blood. Amy didn't know what she could do or if she would be able to help him, but she couldn't just stand by and watch someone die right in front of her."

Danny raised an eyebrow.

"She wasn't scared of him? Not even a little?"

"She wasn't scared of him; She was scared FOR him. Amy didn't care that the boy wasn't human. She didn't care that he was different. She didn't want him to die. Because of her desire to save him, Amy wasn't afraid. As gently as she could, she pulled the merman into the cove so that he would be out of the rain. Using a sweater she had tied around her waist, Amy was able to bandage his wounds and stop the bleeding."

"So does that mean he survived?"

I nodded.

"Yes. Amy stayed with him and nursed him back to health. It took a couple weeks until all of his wounds were healed, but eventually, they did."

Danny sighed with relief.

"Well, that's good. I'm guessing that he left for the ocean afterwards?"

"Not exactly. You see, during their time together, the merman had developed feelings for the little human girl. He had fallen in love with her, and even after he had gotten better, he didn't want to leave."

Danny smiled and nuzzled his head in my chest.

"You know, this story sounds oddly familiar…" Danny cooed softly in my ear.

I smiled and nuzzled him back.

"Anyway, Amy had also realized that she felt the same way toward him, too. However, she also knew that he had to leave soon, for it was not very wise for a merman to stay on land for very long."

"So, what happened? Did he leave?"

"Well, right as he was about to, the merman pulled himself into the water and pulled Amy in with him. Despite the fact that it was cold and she was wet, Amy didn't mind. She looked up into his beautiful red eyes and smiled. The merman then asked if she wanted to go with him and live in the ocean. He told her that he loved her and he didn't want to go alone and lose her forever."

"Aww…"

"Amy told him that she loved him, too, and she also wanted to be with him. The merman then asked her to trust him and close her eyes. Amy did what he asked, and her eyelids fluttered shut. The merman then leaned in and kissed her full on the lips. Upon his touch, Amy blushed, but she didn't fight him. She wrapped her arms around his body and returned his love."

Danny gently wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me into his lap. I rested my head in his chest and smiled. Danny then cupped my cheek and kissed me on the lips.

"Danny, are you just using this story as an excuse to kiss me?"

"Maybe. Is that a problem?"

I smiled.

"Not at all, but as I was saying, Amy kissed him back, and when they pulled apart, there was a bright light that blinded them both. When it disappeared, Amy realized that she had changed-"

"Into a mermaid, just like you."

"Yes, Danny. She had an amber-colored tail that shimmered in the sun. With her new tail, she was able to leave the shell of her human life behind and be with the one she loved. And that is how the story ends."

I shut the book and placed it back down on the ground.

"So that's it?" Danny asked. "There's nothing else?"

I shook my head.

"Nope, that's everything. I guess that you were right after all. It was your kiss and our love that changed me into a mermaid. Because we loved each other so much, I was able to become like you. That way, we wouldn't have to separate and be apart from each other."

Danny smiled.

"You do know what this means, right?"

I smiled back at him.

"It means that we can be together, Danny. Forever. But more importantly, you can finally leave this place and journey the ocean. Discover your purpose and find out who you really are. And no matter what happens, I'll be with you all of the way."

Danny's smile grew bigger until he finally tackled me. I grunted and fell flat on my back with Danny on top of me.

"D-Danny?"

Despite the fact that I knew Danny couldn't …well, do THAT, I blushed, and my heart rate sped up immediately.

"You're so cute when you're nervous around me."

I scowled.

"S-Shut up! I'm not nervous!"

"Mhm. Sure you're not."

"I'm not!" I protested.

Danny laughed and leaned down to kiss me on the lips in order to keep me quiet. Once again, it proved to be very effective.

"Danny, please get off of me."

"All right, all right," Danny replied as he got off. "There, is that any better?"

I smirked and tackled him to the ground. This time, I was on top of him.

"H-hey! No fair!"

"Now, THIS is much better." I said as I pulled him in for another kiss.

**Another chapter done 3 I apologize if it seems that this was mostly a filler chapter, but I needed to explain why Sam got her tail when Danny kissed her. That's why I added the little mini story about Amy in here. I also hoped that you enjoyed the fluff. In the next chapter, Danny will finally leave his cove for the first time and venture out into the ocean. What will he discover? You'll find out soon ;) **


	8. Chapter 8

"Who Am I?"

Chapter 8

*Danny's POV*

It wasn't until dusk when Sam decided to get off of me. To be blatantly honest, I wouldn't have minded had she stayed there forever. Like iron bars, the bond between us was strong and unbreakable. From that moment on, I vowed that as long as I lived, I would do anything for her. I would give anything, even my life, to protect her. By some miracle, she had the same longing feelings for me that I had for her. It was an even bigger miracle when Sam transformed into a mermaid. Although I still wouldn't have left her either way, Sam's new tail enabled her to live in the ocean alongside me.

"It means we an be together, Danny, but more importantly, you can finally leave this place and journey the ocean. You can discover who you are, and I'll be with you all the way." She had said.

"Yes. Who am I?" I wondered to myself for the millionth time.

"There's nothing holding me back from venturing out into the ocean."

I turned to look at Sam who had fallen asleep already. Her head was resting in my lap. The end of her tail was just barely wrapped around mine. I smiled and pulled her closer so that her head was now on my chest. I also made sure that our tails were still partially in the water so that we wouldn't dry out over night. At that moment, I decided that I would spend the night here, and then leave in the morning. With Sam still laying on me, I gently stroked her hair. Soon, I began to get drowsy. I leaned back against the rock ledge and let out a big yawn. It wasn't long before my heavy eyelids fluttered shut, and I finally fell asleep.

~~~~~Line Break~~~~~

*Still Danny's POV*

At dawn, I woke up and stretched my arms. Sam was still fast asleep in my chest, so I tried not to stir around that much. I was laying on my back as still as I possibly could. Gently, I placed a hand on Sam's back and rubbed it. In her sleep, Sam snuggled up to me and smiled. I smiled in return and continued to rub her back. A few minutes later, Sam yawned and stretched. She looked up at me with her tired, yet beautiful, violet eyes, and smiled softly.

"Morning, Danny."

I smiled back and gave her a hug.

"Hey, Sammy. Did you sleep okay?"

Sam nodded and hugged me back.

"I slept perfectly. Your strong, silky chest makes the best pillow."

I blushed slightly at the compliment.

"O-oh…r-really?"

"Mhm."

Sam nuzzled her head back in my chest. I wrapped my arms around her body and held her close.

"So, Danny, are you ready to go?" Sam asked.

Hesitantly, I bit my lower lip. I took one of my long, white bangs and twirled it around my finger nervously.

"Um…"

I'll admit it. I was scared. I had no idea what was out there or what we would find. Mostly, I was afraid of leaving the cove. The day I would leave this place was inevitable, but that only made me more nervous. Sam noticed my apprehension and placed a hand on my cheek.

"It'll be okay, Danny. Just relax."

"How can you be so sure, Sam?"

Sam leaned her head up and kissed me softly on the lips.

"Because, Danny," She began after we pulled apart. "I'll be with you the entire time. As long as we're together, you'll be fine. I promise."

I smiled softly at her and nodded.

"Thanks, Sammy. Well, I guess you're right. Let's get going."

I slid myself off of the ledge and into the water. It definitely felt great being in the ocean again. I leaned my head back and wetted my dry, crusty gills.

"Ready, Sam?"

I reached my hands out, ready to catch her if I needed to.  
"Don't worry, I'll get you if you fall."

Sam looked at me nervously, but then she nodded and pulled herself in. As soon as she fell in, I wrapped my arms around her. Sam refused to let go of me. Her arms were around my waist, and they never gave way.

"I told you I'd get you, Sammy. I'll never let you fall."

"Danny…"

Sam smiled and nuzzled my neck softly. In return, I held her closely to me and loosely wrapped my tail around hers. Once I did that, I saw Sam's face redden with embarrassment.

"Something wrong?" I asked.

"Danny, u-um…your tail…it's…"

"It's what?"

Sam pulled her tail away from mine. Confused and slightly hurt by this show of rejection, I frowned and looked down sadly.

"Danny?"

"I'm sorry, Sam."

"N-No, I don't mean it the way you think I do, Danny. It's just that's how…well, remember how the Atlantian book mentioned mating…?"

I raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah and…?"

"W-Well, um, don't you recall what it said about how mer-people mated?"

Instantly, I remembered everything, and my face became as red as hers.

"Oh! Oh, Sam! Jeez, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean…"

"It's okay, so don't beat yourself over it. And please don't think that I don't love you. I love you very much, Danny, but I know for a fact that neither one of us are ready for that yet."

I nodded in agreement.

"Y-Yeah, you're right. And again, I'm really sorry. It won't happen again."

Sam gave me a quick kiss on the cheek and smiled.

"Don't be so hard on yourself. You didn't know any better, so it's not your fault."

Gently, Sam took the locket in her hand, which I had around my neck, and opened it.

"I bet you that they're out there," Sam continued. "Your parents, that is."

"Maybe, but…but what if they don't want me, Sam?"

"Don't think like that, Danny. That's not true."

I looked up at her dumbfounded.

"How can you be so sure?"

Sam smiled.

"Because there are just some things I know that I can't explain. Have faith, Danny. Focus on the here and now instead of "what ifs" and worries. Besides, I'm not going to let you live the rest of your life not knowing who you are."

"You're right," I agreed. "Whether they'll still accept me or not, my birth parents may very well be out there. I have to know if they're still alive."

Sam took my hand and pulled me closer to her.

"There's only one way to find out. Come on, let's go. There's no time to waste."

I hesitated once more when she pulled me away from the ledge. Although I had made my resolve to leave this place, I was more worried about Sam.

"Sam, wait. What about you?"

"Hmm? What do you mean?"

"This IS your home, Sammy. You're from the land. How can you leave your life as a human behind so easily? Won't you miss anything?"

Sam sighed.

"It's not hard to leave when I have nothing to lose."

I wrapped my arms around her yet again and tried my best to console her.  
"I'm an orphan, remember?" Sam continued. "I live alone in a big, empty house. And friends? Forget it. At school, the students treated me like an outcast because of my look. I hate to say it, but I won't miss a damn thing from my human life that I once had. I'd rather be HERE, with you and where I belong."

"And I won't ever leave you or make you feel isolated like you were in the past," I replied. "I'll always be here for you."

"Thanks, Danny," Sam said with a smile. "Now, come on, we should go now."

I nodded and smiled back softly.

"As you wish, Sammy. However, there's still one other problem."

"And what might that be?" asked Sam.

"You need to learn how to swim with a tail now, Sam."

"Oh, right. Well, I'm sure that it won't be that difficult, especially since I have a handsome, strong merman to help me." Sam whispered dreamily in my ear.

I blushed and looked down nervously.

"O-okay…well, um, it's easy once you get the hang of it. All it takes is a little getting used to. The tail is a lot stronger than legs. Not only that, but it's also trickier to control. Here, let me show you."

~~~~~Line Break~~~~~

*Sam's POV*

It took me a few hours, but I finally figured out how to swim around with my new tail. At first, Danny had to keep one arm wrapped around my waist as he swam alongside me. By doing so, I didn't have to worry about sinking to the bottom or being swept away by the unpredictable ocean currents. After a while, I realized that I didn't need Danny's help anymore. I, however, didn't say anything or let him know that I didn't need his assistance. Danny's arms around my body made me feel safe and secure. Every time he had his arms around me, I felt invincible.

"So, Sam, how does it feel? I mean, swimming with a tail. Is it getting any easier?" Danny asked.

"Um, y-yeah," I stuttered. "It's not that bad. Now that I've been swimming for a while, it's easy."

"Want me to let go?"

I shook my head.

"N-No! Don't let go!"

Danny smiled.

"I'll never let you go, Sam. I promise."

He gave me a kiss on the cheek, and I, like an idiot, started blushing again.

"And you said you weren't nervous." Danny remarked with a smug grin.

I only glared at him and rolled my eyes. Deep down, though, I knew he was right. Being with a guy in an actual relationship made me scared as Hell. Considering how fast I fell for him, I was worried our relationship was moving far too quickly. There was no turning back, either. I couldn't go back on land anymore, not with my new fish tail. I looked up at Danny. He seemed so confident as he swam elegantly through the ocean waves. I noticed his hair, which was longer than I originally thought, kept getting in his face. Each time it did, Danny would grow more annoyed.

"Danny, stop."

I forced him to a halt, and then I swam behind him.

"What are you doing, Sam?"

Luckily, I had one of my green hair ties around my wrist. I pulled it off and gently grabbed a handful of Danny's silky, white hair. Carefully, I tied his hair back in a simple ponytail. After doing so, the ponytail rested in the middle of his back and stayed put.

"There. Now your hair won't fly in your face anymore."

Danny smiled.

"Thanks, Sam."

"No problem. Now where are we?"

Danny looked around.

"I'm not sure. We're very far from the cove, so I don't recognize any of our surroundings."

"What surroundings? I don't see anything at all! In every direction, I only see open water."

We continued swimming through the ocean in the same direction. Clutching the locket still strung around his neck, Danny gave me a determined look.

"I know that they're out there. Somewhere. Maybe my natural instincts can lead us to where we need to go."

I rolled my eyes.

"Or they'll lead us in circles…" I muttered.

"You know, your lack of confidence in me is kind of insulting, Sam."

"It's not that I don't trust you, Danny. I just don't want us to get more lost than we already are."

"We won't get lost."

"Can't we just look for somebody and ask for directions?"

"That isn't necessary. I'll get us there in no time." Danny replied.

"Get us 'where', Danny? Do you even know where you're going?"

"Relax. We'll get there soon."

"Where is 'there'?"

"Atlantis, Sam."

I scoffed and rolled my eyes.

"Danny, Atlantis is a lost, undersea kingdom hidden somewhere in the deep depths of the ocean."

"Yeah, I know, and we're going to find it. We don't need anyone's help. I know that we can get there on our own in no time at all."

"What is it with men and asking for directions?"

"Don't worry, Sammy. I know what I'm doing. You just have to trust my-"

" 'Natural instinct'. I know. I heard you the first time."

Danny cocked his head slightly and flashed me yet another one of his goofy grins. I sighed and did a face palm.

"Danny, you're crazy if you think we're going to just stumble upon Atlantis on accident because of your natural-"

I wasn't watching where I was going, so I found myself bumping into something. When I looked up, I couldn't believe what I saw. A huge, towering gate made out of gray stones seemed to go on forever to the right and left. In front of the gate were two guards clothed in heavy armor and brown leather. Both of them had navy blue tails, just like Danny and me. One guard, the one I accidentally rammed into, pulled out a long, golden trident and pointed it at me.

"Who are you outsiders?" he demanded.

A second later, the trident charged up and began to glow with a terrifying, amber aura.  
_  
_"And you said my natural instinct wouldn't get us anywhere." remarked Danny


	9. Chapter 9

Who Am I? Chapter 9

*Danny's POV*

The guards in front of the massive gate gave Sam and me death stares and never once broke our gaze. Their expressions made it clear that at any moment, they could bring down their weapons and turn us into ash. We would only be tiny specks of dust-not even recognizable particles. I looked over at Sam and reminded myself of my responsibility to her as her lover and, more importantly, as her protector. Before anything bad could happen, I put myself between Sam and the guard who was threatening her.

"You leave her ALONE!" I said with a slight growl at the end of my sentence.

The guard, with his trident now pointed at me, looked me in the eye questionally.

"Who are you?" He asked once more.

"Her name is Sam. Sam Manson." I said as I gestured to Sam, who was slightly behind me now. Her hands were on my shoulders, and her head rested next to mine. I looked over at her and smiled softly to let her know that I wouldn't let anything happen to her.

"And YOU are?"

I scoffed.

"Dunno. I'll let you know when I figure that out. I've been searching for the answer to that question for eighteen years."

"Well then, what do you call yourself then? Even a low-life outside such as you certainly has a name, right?"

My eyebrow twitched slightly at his rude comment, but since he had the trident still aimed at me, I refrained from arguing any further.

"My name is Danny."

"Danny, huh. 'Danny' what?"

"Fenton. It's Danny Fenton."

Both guards looked at me intently for a minute. Their eyes were glued to me like a child is to a video game screen. After a few seconds, I was already creeped out. The guards stopped looking at me, and then they turned back to look at each other. And again, after a while, they looked at me. Instead of staring, as I expected them to do, they started laughing!

"BWAHAHAHAHAH! No seriously, who are you?"

I scowled.

"I've told you already! My name is Danny Fenton!"

One guard raised an eyebrow and rolled his eyes.

"Stop wasting our time, kid. Everyone who's anyone knows that the real Danny Fenton died almost two decades ago."

"Well, I can assure you that I'M not dead and that Danny is and has always been my name. I'm not lying!"

"Sir, do you have any ID?" asked the other guard.

"ID? What do you mean 'ID'?"

"Identification."

"We know what 'ID' stands for, dumb ass!" Sam interjected.

The guard became flustered and angry. His face scrunched up and sweat drops rolled down his cheek. In the back of my mind I secretly praised Sam for sticking up for us; however, I was worried that her smart remark would get us in a world of trouble.

"As if we weren't there already..." I thought.

"Who do you think you are, outsider scum? I'll have you know that we destroy big mouths who defy us, such as yourselves, right on the spot. No mercy whatsoever."

The other guard aimed his trident at Sam, and I protectively got between it and her once more.

"You leave her alone!" I hissed loudly.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Sam tense up at the sound of my raised voice. I felt a twinge of guilt for startling her, but I was more focused on the threat in front of us. I refused to move and the guard never lowered his weapon. My eyes began to glow an angry, eerie green.

"Danny, just calm down," I heard Sam whisper soothingly.

"We don't want to cause a scene."

I turned my head around to face her, but as I did, I heard the trident charge up behind me. Before I had the chance to react, I felt a sharp, burning sensation on my face and the entire left side of my body all the way down to the tip on my tail fin.

"Danny!"

My body collapsed to the ground as my body began to writhe in pain. I wanted to clutch the sizzling burns along my side, but even the slightest touch sent painful nerve impulses all throughout me. I felt as though I had just been electrocuted with a million volts, but even THAT was an understatement.

"AHHH! Hey! Let go!" I heard Sam shriek.

My fin ears twitched at the sound of Sam's distress. I desperately tried to get up in order to help her, but my body refused to move. I glanced up and saw that one guard had Sam trapped in a headlock.

"S-Sam...!"

Sam continued to struggle around, but the guard held her firm. She had no chance of escape. The feeling of being unable to help her was agonizing. Above all, I wanted it to be me. I wanted Sam to be free, even if it meant I would be these guard's prisoner. I looked up at my assailant and saw that the trident was still pointed at me. Thin wisps of grey smoke wafted around the three sharp edges of the weapon. I knew that at any moment, he would finish me off. His trident started glowing again, but before he had the chance to fire, a loud, thundering voice call from behind him.

"Guards! What is going on here?"

My attacker dropped his weapon in shock. He didn't just lower his arm, either. The trident slipped out of his grip and hit the ocean floor with a loud thud. The guard hesitantly turned around and started trembling.

"Your Majesty, we were just-"

"Just causing problems and creating unnecessary violence and destruction? I won't have this in my Kingdom! Have you forgotten who I am? I am the God of the sea, and as such, I can have you easily disposed of for this frivolous quarreling! Enough is enough! I can hear your whole commotion a thousand leagues away! I'll ask you once more. What is going on here?"

"These outsiders appeared and well-"

"That doesn't mean you need to attack them! For pete's sake, they don't look hostile at all! I swear, you and the rest of the guards are a pain in the tail fin. Tell me, if it was necessary to shoot, then what the heck did they do?"

My head was becoming cloudy and dizzy from the intensity of the pain. I knew I was burned, but I wasn't sure how bad it really was. Judging from the level of hurt I was feeling, I knew I had to be in critical condition. My thoughts and senses became hazy, so I could no longer follow the conversation. I was only able to gather a little bit of what they were saying to one another.

"Impostor...The real one is dead, remember? I thought..."

"You're sure he said...?"

"And he doesn't even..."

"But the resemblance..."

"I don't...I..."

What little strength I had inside me finally burned out, and my consciousness slipped from my loose grasp. Helpless, weak, and vulnerable, I passed out with my whole body coiled up in a loose ball on the ocean floor.

*Poseidon's POV*

I forced my insolent guards aside and went over to the injured teenager resting completely still on the ground. Except for the perpetual ocean tides brushing his long, white hair back and forth, he never moved. His entire body was covered in dark, red burns. The burns were so severe that many of them had started sizzling. His emerald tail now had pitch black spots all over it, which revealed that the scales in those areas were completely destroyed. So much so, that I was certain that those scales would never grow back. Carefully, I lifted the boy up and cradled him in my arms. The boy appeared to be about eighteen years old, but in his unconscious state, he reminded me of a small, helpless child. I brushed some of his hair out of his face, and yet, he never stirred. A soft groan escaped from his lips.

"He'll never heal without the proper medical care." I told my guards.

"But I could have sworn you told us to destroy any potentially dangerous enemy to Atlantis!"

"And I'm telling you to stand down and fetch a medic to attend to him. Look at this boy, guards," I said as I gestured to the teen's body.

"Does he look dangerous to you? He couldn't defend himself let alone threaten or attack anyone in his vulnerable condition. Go to the palace and find our best healers. Tell them to wait in one of the vacant rooms with all of their supplies prepared. Got that?'

Both guards backed up and bowed their heads respectively.

"We'll get right on it, your Majesty."

The gate opened, and both guards quickly swam through it, heading straight for the palace. I turned to look at the boy I was holding, and I saw a girl by his side holding his hand. She had medium-length black hair, amethyst eyes and tail, and was wearing an old, torn, black sweatshirt. Her eyes were filled with tears and concern as she gripped the boy's hand tightly.

"Excuse me, but who are you?" I asked calmly.

The girl, still with her eyes locked on the unconscious teen, bit her lower lip nervously.

"S-Sam. My name is Sam." She replied, barely whispering her response.

"And this boy? Is he a friend of yours?"

Sam nodded.

"Yes..He's um...my boyfriend."

"What's his name?"

"Danny."

Tense, I looked Sam directly in the eyes as I felt sweat gather at the top of my forehead and slowly drip down my cheeks.

"Danny...what? What is his last name?"

"It's Fenton. Now, um...I know that the guards said that he was lying, but it's the truth. He-"

"Proof?"

"Huh?"

"I said 'proof'!" I repeated. "Do you have proof of his identity? Anything?"

"Well, no...I don't."

I took another glance at Danny and carefully looked him over. Long, silky, white hair, green fins and tail, and a faint white glow around him. As I was analyzing him, my eyes took notice of a small, golden object around his neck.

"What's this?" I asked as I lifted it up and held it in my hands.

"T-That's Danny's locket. He's had it his entire life. It's very important to him." Sam replied.

I pressed the tiny button on the side of it and gently opened the locket. When I saw the picture inside, I almost fainted from disbelief. I immediately closed it and let go of it. The tiny, golden locket rested in the center of his chest just as it was before.

"Um, s-sir...I, uh..."

"Poseidon."

"What?"

"Call me poseidon. That's my name. Personally, I'd rather everyone call me that instead of 'sir' or 'your majesty'."

Sam nodded.

"O-okay..."

I gestured for Sam to follow me.

"Come with me, Sam. I'll be taking Danny back to my palace where Atlantis's finest healers will take care of his injuries using our most advanced healing techniques."

Sam nodded once more and followed me, staying close to Danny the entire way there. I couldn't help but feel a sense of gratitude and security as I held Danny close to my chest.

"So after all these years, he's managed to survive? He was even lucky enough to survive the manual transformation. Or perhaps it was his new love who saved him from death." I thought as I quickly glanced at Sam.

"I don't know if it was fate, destiny, or pure chance that brought Danny here, but despite everything, it doesn't matter. He's here now, and I am not going to lose him again."

**So finally this fic is going somewhere ^^. Well judging from the last line, it appears that this is not the first time Poseidon has met Danny. So what connection do the two of them have or is just a mere coincidence that Poseidon seems to recognize Danny from a previous encounter? **

**WAI is drawing near its conclusion fairly quick. From here, there will be 2 more chapters plus an epilogue. My goal is to have this story completely done before September 4, 2012. On that day is when I go back to school. I'll do my best to update whenever I can. Till then, hope you enjoy~! ^^**


	10. Chapter 10

Who Am I?

Chapter 10

*Poseidon's POV*

Sam and I rushed over to the palace as fast as we could. Danny, limp in my arms, was still unconscious and except for breathing heavily, he never moved. Growing worried, I swam even faster until I reached the main entrance. I didn't even bother with the usual hassles of dealing with the guards; There was no time for that. I pushed right through them despite their attempts to stop me.

"Sire?"

"Y-Your majesty? Where are you going? What's going on?"

"This is no time for stupid questions!" I replied in an annoyed, impatient tone. "Move! Get out of the way!"

A couple of guards were nearly knocked over as I came through the entrance and down the main hallway. Needless to say, their state of being wasn't important to me at the time. All that mattered was getting to the healers' room as soon as I possibly could. Sam followed close behind me, never taking her eyes off of Danny as we proceeded down the massive hallway.

To say that the palace was 'huge' was ironically a huge understatement. The entire area was massive, and if you didn't know where you were at or where you were headed as well as those EXACT locations, you could easily be lost in the labyrinth of the halls for weeks. Luckily for the current situation, the room where we needed to go was straight down from the main lobby. Within a few minutes, we arrived, and already, the room was filled with medics and other healers.

"Poseidon, we're all ready to tend to the injured soul. Is this him?"

"Yes, this is the one," I replied as I laid Danny's lifeless body on the soft bed in the middle of the room.

"Be extremely gentle with him. He's hurt bad."

"Pardon me, Your Majesty, but what happened to him?"

"He was burned by one of the guards at the north gate. The wounds are still fresh, though. That's why you need to use extreme caution while treating him."

The healers nodded and bowed in respect.

"We will be gentle with this one, Your Majesty."

I bowed in return, giving one last glance at the white-haired teen. I cupped his cheek and brushed the hair out of his face. My hand slid from his face down to his chest, which rose up and down slowly with great effort. Instead of a heart beat, I heard a soft vibration coming from his weakened core. It startled me at first when I realized he didn't have a pulse. I took note of his ghostly aura and appearance, and I could see the puzzle pieces of this mystery starting to come together. The very thought of what I believed was happening frightened and relieved me at the same time. This paradoxical proposition was rattling my brain, and I could do nothing to relieve it.

"Everything will be all right," I murmured softly to him.

"I won't ever let anything bad happen to you ever again. I promise..."

"And once Danny is healed and awakens," I thought. "And perhaps after we speak, things will start making more sense. I hope..."

~~~~~Line Break~~~~~

*A stormy, August night, unknown location, Date: 8-10-1994*

(A/N Danny is two months old at this point)

*3rd Person POV*

"Danny? Danny?! DANNY!"

Thunder rumbled loudly in the dreary, bleak firmament. Massive grey clouds began to accumulate and form even larger, nebulous masses. There wasn't a speck of sunlight to be seen for miles. The familiar sound of a pulsating bass drum returned, but it wasn't from the raging thunderstorm this time. It came from the nervous, apprehensive beating heart of the God of the Sea. His oceans, ravaged by the winds and raging currents, would not obey him. At his side was a young girl with short brown hair and amethyst eyes. Desperately trying to hold onto Poseidon's arm, she stayed as close as she could with a tiny bundle of shredded blankets hanging limply in her free hand.

"DANNY!"

They looked every way, in every direction, but perpetual darkness masked everything in their path. Even in his own domain, Poseidon was lost and confused. He couldn't tell which way was up and which way was down let alone where Danny was. But one thing was certain-there was a voice calling to him, demanding him.

"BROTHER! YOU SHOULD HAVE LISTENED WHEN I PASSED THE LAW! BUT AS USUAL, YOU DEFY ME DESPITE THE FACT THAT I WILL ALWAYS WIN AND YOU WILL ALWAYS LOSE. THIS WAS YOUR DECISION AND NOW YOU MUST SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES."

Lightning flashed for a brief second, then continued to strike the oceans with authoritative strength and power. The titanic ocean waves crashed and broke apart as the merciless beams of light tore threw them without hesitation. Poseidon flinched as if he were struck by the lightning himself. Being tied to the ocean, he felt everything that the oceans felt. And right now, he felt pain and sorrow.

"I WARNED YOU, POSEIDON! TWICE, I'VE WARNED YOU! AND YET, YOU HADN'T LISTENED. BUT I WILL FURTHER REMIND YOU THAT THE GODS SHOW NO MERCY. NOT EVEN TO FAMILY. AND ESPECIALLY NOT THAT HALFBREED SCUM."

Poseidon grew angry and began to glow with an aura brighter than a thousand suns.

"DON'T EVER SPEAK ABOUT HIM LIKE THAT AGAIN!"

The ever so powerful winds swirled around Poseidon's exposed head after he finally broke the surface. The brown-haired girl was still right behind him, tense and afraid.

"WHERE IS HE, ZEUS? WHERE HAVE YOU SENT HIM?! TELL ME!"

Tauntingly, lighting darted to Poseidon's right and left as if to insult and intimidate him. But Poseidon showed no sign of being the slightest bit afraid. He continued to glare up angrily at the arrogant thunderheads swirling up above him.

"GONE, BROTHER. AND I'LL MAKE SURE YOU'LL NEVER SEE HIM AGAIN. THE BRAT PROBABLY WON'T EVEN SURVIVE THE STORM ANYWAY. GET OVER IT."

"ZEUS!"

An abrupt silence filled the battlefield. The thunder and lighting ceased and the ocean settled down, but an unholy rain was pouring down hard.

"ZEUS! ZEUS! ANSWER ME, BROTHER!"

But Zeus did not respond. The rain continued pouring more heavily and forcefully with the weight of Poseidon's sadness. The brown-haired girl was now crying as she buried her head in Poseidon's chest. The torn blankets slipped out of her loose grasp, desolate and forlorn.

Poseidon called out once more to the ocean as loud as he possibly could.

"DANNY!"

And again, there was no response. Even if the two month old could speak loud enough, the rain would only cover his soft, gentle voice.

Miles away on a shore off the European coast, a little boy was in the water clinging to the remains of a severed tree branch. Every second was a battle against death as he desperately hung onto the limp piece of floating drift wood.

"Mama! Mama!" he cried as loud as he could.

The waves dragged him up onto the sandy shore, which caused rocks to lodge themselves into the boy's soft skin. He began to cry and weep as his skin tore open and blood started leaking out.

"Mama!"

When the child realized his mother wasn't coming, he crawled over to an open entrance made out of a sturdy rock structure. Dressed only in a raggedy red and white shirt and some blue shorts, the little boy shivered and desperately tried to get warm. He lied down on the sandy floor of the cove, relieved to discover that it was soft and comfortable. Meanwhile, the storm had started up again with powerful winds blowing the rain diagonally at high speed. Protected from the rain, the boy tried to ignore it, but he could not ignore the sounds of booming thunder and flashing light. All he could do was close his eyes and hope that it would all be over soon.

**(A/N since Danny is not HUMAN, he is bigger and smarter than a normal 2 month old would be. I know I'll get lots of comments asking me 'oh how did Danny survive at 2 months without any help from anyone?' Well, as a 2 month old, Danny has the size, endurance, and brain capacity of a 3 or 4 year old. His growth fluctuates as he becomes older, but by about 15 or 16, he's fully matured in regards to height and size.)**

~~~~~Line Break~~~~~

*Danny's POV*

Delirious and confused, I awakened and sat up with a jolt. I didn't scream, but I felt a weird sensation throughout my whole body. It was like having a shot of Novocain injected in my brain. My head felt fuzzy. I couldn't even begin to process what I was just dreaming about. Light-headed and confused, I fell backwards onto the bed and blacked out.

~A few hours later~

*Poseidon's POV*

I reentered the healing room and saw that Danny was still unconscious. Sam swam past me and rushed over to Danny's side. She curled up on the bed next to him and cuddled in his chest.

"Be gentle, Sam. Remember, his injuries are quite extensive." a healer advised.

"I will." assured Sam.

The healer swam over to both of us.

"We've treated him to the best of our abilities. His burns are starting to heal, but the discoloration and scarring of his skin will probably not go away. They'll lighten up a bit, but he'll have traces and patterns of the burns forever. Danny's tail fin was the only thing to be completely destroyed. So much so that it will never grow back."

"But without his fin, he'll be incapable of swimming. Isn't there anything you can do?" I asked desperately.

"We went ahead and started attaching a prosthetic fin because of that problem. Once it is in sync with his nerves, he will be able to use that in order to move."

"All right…so what's the current situation?"

"Medics are finishing up the attachment of the prosthetic. Once that's done, Danny will just need a lot of rest. After he gets some sleep, he'll be just fine."

I nodded my head.

"Thank you. "

The medic bowed in respect and left the room. As soon as they were gone, I looked over at Danny's weakened form lying helpless and vulnerable in the middle of the bed. Sam had her arms and tail coiled around him closely and protectively. She reminded me of a mother bear warding off competitors and thieves away from her stash of honey. (**A/N: LOL XDDD). **In other words, I knew that nothing in this world would get her to move. I wasn't going to bother to even ATTEMPT doing something so inane. With Danny all wrapped up in a cocoon of blankets and Sam's body, the two of them slept soundly side by side.

~~~~~Line Break~~~~~

*A few more hours later*

*Danny's POV*

I awoke once more and found myself sitting in the same bed inside the same room. As I opened my dreary eyes, my surroundings were nothing more than a blur. My eyes gradually regained their focus, but it took some time before I could grasp everything that was going on and everything that had already happened. I felt something touching me, but as I looked over my shoulder, I saw that it was just Sam. I smiled softly at her and hugged her softly with my free arm. The other arm, which was still in pain from being attacked by the guard at the gate, could not be willed to move without causing irritating nerve impulses of pain to shoot up through my finger tips.

"Danny…?"

"Huh?"

Startled, I looked in the direction of where I heard someone call my name. I saw a man with black hair and blue eyes in the doorway. In his right hand, he was holding the same type of weapon that the guard from before had. The only difference was that this guy's weapon was much bigger, longer, and therefore, probably a lot more deadly. I flinched in fear at the sight of it and turned away.

"Are you all right, son?"

"Uhh…"

The black-haired man must have noticed how tense and afraid I was, for he leaned his weapon against one of the walls.

"Forgive me if I startled you in any way. I'm not going to hurt you. I just wanted to make sure that you were all right."

Feeling relieved that he no longer had that forked object aimed at my head, I turned back to face him.

"I'm uh…I'm okay. I'm just a little sore and tired. I'll be fine after I rest for a while."

The man nodded and smiled.

"All right. Just take it easy and don't strain yourself. Again, I'm sorry for the rash actions of my guards. More than a few of them don't even know how to wield the most basic of tridents properly. It's quite sad, really. Not to mention the fact that everyone that tries to come into Atlantis is interrogated and, on rare occasions, zapped."

My eyes widened, and I blankly stared at him blinking slowly.

"So that thing is a trident?" I asked as I pointed at the gold weapon still leaning against the wall.

"Damn, those things are dangerous!"

"Indeed, they are. It seems as if any idiot can get their hand on one around here with little effort."

"Seems like you need to change your policies. They don't seem to be working out." I replied sarcastically.

The man nodded.

"Agreed. Though, at this point, it is of no matter. I personally made sure that the guard who injured you was…erm…'fired'."

"Fired?"

"Yes. He won't be gatekeeping any longer. You won't have to worry about being zapped again."

I sighed softly and sat up. Sam groaned softly, but she continued to stay peacefully asleep, despite the disturbance. As I lifted myself up, Sam released my arm, but she was still cuddled up to me. I smiled and covered her up with the blanket so that she would stay warm.

"So this girl…Her name is Sam, right?"

I nodded.

"Yes."

"And she is your…girlfriend, correct?"

I blushed slightly, but I nodded again.

"Y-yes…Yes she is."

The man smiled.

"Well, I'm glad that you two have found each other, and I hope that you both treat each other well."

I looked over at Sam protectively then back at him.

"Of course. We would never mistreat one another. That just wouldn't happen."

There was a period of silence. Neither one of us said a word for a few minutes. To be honest, I didn't know exactly what to say. Here I was talking about the most intimate relationship I've ever had to this guy, and I didn't even know his name. An awkward tension quickly filled the room. In order to relieve it, I continued the conversation as best as I could.

"Um, if I may ask, w-who are you?"

"I am the king of this beautiful city and the God of the Sea. You may, however, call me Poseidon."

"P-Poseidon?"

Poseidon nodded.

"That is correct."

"Wow…I had no idea…"

"No idea what?"

"I had no idea that the Greek Gods were real."

Poseidon chuckled.

"Oh, we're real all right. There's no doubt about that. But then again, I don't blame you for your ignorance. After all, we keep ourselves hidden from mortals. Most of the time we're usually looking after our domain."

"That makes sense. No wonder everything I've learned about you from the second-hand knowledge of the humans is slightly inaccurate. After all, according to them, you and the rest of the Gods are nothing but myths."

"Indeed. For the sake of security and secrecy, we keep ourselves away from the humans and never allow any mortal to discover any more information about us than what they already know."

Poseidon picked up his trident and headed for the door.

"I have some errands I need to run, but I'll be back in a few hours to check on you. In the meantime, you should lie down and rest."

I reclined backwards until I felt my head touch the pillow.

"All right, I'll um…see you later."

Poseidon nodded once more and left, closing the door behind him. As I lied there motionless, I slowly began to process what had just happened.

"So…after I was blasted, Poseidon must have brought me here," I thought.

"He seems to know a lot about Atlantis and mer-people, so maybe he could help me. His extensive knowledge may be the key I need. It wouldn't hurt to find out everything that this guy knows. Perhaps the wisdom I could gain from him might start piecing this jigsaw puzzle of a mess together."

I felt the locket around my neck and held it in the palm of my hand.

"I'll show him this once he returns. Then maybe…just maybe…I can solve this life long mystery once and for all."


End file.
